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Table 3 Comparison of costs (direct and indirect) at 18 months for HbA1c tests - costs per patient (Australian dollars, calendar year 2006)

From: The cost-effectiveness of point of care testing in a general practice setting: results from a randomised controlled trial

RESOURCES

INTERVENTION (PoCT) N = 1182

CONTROL (Laboratory) N = 785

DIFFERENCE (INTERVENTION - CONTROL)

Direct Costs to the health care sector

(95% CI)

(95% CI)

(95% CI)

Establishment costs in GP

$114

$0*

$114

Consumables & maintenance in GP

$28 ($22, $31)

$0*

$28 ($22, $31)

Quality assurance & control in GP

$29

$0*

$29

HbA1c tests (100% MBS fee in GP, 85% MBS fee in pathology laboratory)

$64 ($49, $65)

$98 ($88, $107)

-$34 (-$54, -$28)

   Sub total cost of actual test

$235 ($184, $290)

$98 ($88, $107)

$137 ($84, $194)

GP consultations

$579 ($515, $659)

$560 ($502, $618)

$18 (-$69, $112)

Hospital admissions

$171 (-$181, $662)

$506 (-$137, $1,241)

-$334 (-$1,131, $460)

Emergency Dept visits

$8 ($3, $13)

$8 ($2, $13)

-$1 (-$8, $7)

Specialist consultations

$173 ($163, $183)

$169 ($157, $180)

$4 (-$11, $20)

Allied health visits

$221 ($195, $253)

$232 ($188, $282)

-$11 (-$72, $47)

Pharmaceuticals

$2,249 ($1,889, $2,555)

$2,032 ($1,859, $2,586)

$217 (-$280, $253)

   Subtotal direct costs to healthcare sector

$3,636 ($3,019, $4,149)

$3,606 ($2,902, $4,563)

$30 (-$988, $673)

Direct Costs to the patients and families

   

Copayment for GP consultations and pharmaceuticals

$4 ($4, $6)

$4 ($2, $6)

$0 (-$2, $4)

Patient travel costs

$12 ($10, $14)

$28 ($23, $33)

-$16 (-$22, -$11)

   Subtotal direct costs to patients and families

$16 ($15, $19)

$32 ($28, $39)

-$16 (-$22, -$10)

Indirect Costs

   

   Time seeking healthcare

$23 ($22, $25)

$34 ($32, $37)

-$11 (-$14, -$8)

Total costs (both sectors)

   

   Total

$3,676 ($3,062, $4,191)

$3,672 ($2,972, $4,628)

$4 (-$1,103, $642)

  1. Note: totals not exact due to rounding
  2. * For the control group these items are included in the MBS fee for the laboratory