Autori: Bini C., Aiello A., Ragonese A., Graziadio S., Bianco M., Simonelli, Caffarelli G., Marcellusi A., Jommi C., Roila F., Zinzani P.L., Antonuzzo A., Carnio S., Inno A., Bossi P., Berardi R., Ermacora P., Berto P.
OBJECTIVE
Despite the growing number of economic evaluations in oncology, the estimation of adverse event (AE) management costs remains limited and often lacks methodological transparency. This study aims to provide a structured, clinician-informed, method to estimate the cost per episode of managing grade 3–4 AEs within the Italian healthcare system.
METHODS
Relevant AEs were identified from economic models of healthcare technologies and refined with the support of oncologists. A structured questionnaire was developed to collect data on the management of AEs across different care settings—hospital, outpatient, and home care. The questionnaire was piloted and validated through semi-structured interviews with specialists and subsequently administered to a panel of clinicians selected in collaboration with the Italian Association of Medical Oncology (AIOM). Resource consumption was translated into costs using official Italian tariffs and price lists.
RESULTS
The method was applied to two AE categories reported by at least two clinicians: thromboembolic events and pain. Management of thromboembolic AEs—such as stroke and pulmonary embolism—was concentrated in hospital and home care, with costs ranging from €742 to €3,716 per episode. Pain showed greater variability in clinical pathways, with an estimated average cost of €1,333 per episode.
CONCLUSIONS
This approach offers a feasible and transparent solution for generating AE-related cost inputs based on real-world clinical practice in Italy. It enhances the accuracy and contextual relevance of economic evaluations, supporting more informed decision-making in health technology assessment.
KEYWORDS
Adverse Events, Economic Evaluation, Cost-analysis, AE, Italian Association of Medical Oncology.
Visualizzazioni Totali: 10 views