Cost-Effectiveness Should Be A Key Factor In Funding New Cardiac Technologies

Date: Aug-10-2012Cost-Effectiveness Should Be A Key Factor In Funding New Cardiac Technologies

Main Category: Cardiovascular / Cardiology

Article Date: 10 Aug 2012 - 1:00 PDT

email to a friend    printer friendly    opinions  

rate article

Current ratings for:

Cost-Effectiveness Should Be A Key Factor In Funding New Cardiac Technologies


Patient / Public:
Healthcare Prof:

Cost-effectiveness should be a critical determinant in whether to fund new cardiovascular devices,
according to an article published in the August 6 issue of the Medical Journal of Australia.
"Interventions that do not have a demonstrable incremental clinical benefit should not be funded simply
because they are new", wrote Dr David Muller, Director of the Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratories at St
Vincent's Hospital in Sydney.

The availability of these devices, which include implantable defibrillators, devices for valvular heart disease,
and left ventricular assist devices, is fast outpacing the availability of funding sources, Dr Muller wrote.

According to Dr Muller, new funding strategies are required if patients are to benefit from these major
advances.

One potential measure - allowing uninsured public hospital patients who can afford to pay for certain
interventions the opportunity to do so - should be open for debate, he wrote.
Also, the system for gaining public hospital funding of new technologies has limitations, Dr Muller wrote.

"The approval process can be slow and inflexible."
However, even measures to reduce delays, such as streamlining administration, would not necessarily
increase access for public patients.
Ideally, the approval of complex new technologies should be accompanied by special-purpose funding that
allows selected sites to develop expertise, obtain local cost-effectiveness data and provide follow-up and
device surveillance.

A coordinated national approach to advanced technology funding may be "the most efficient and equitable,
and provide the most timely access for patients to important medical advances in both the public and
private health systems", Dr Muller wrote.

Courtesy: Medical News Today Note: Any medical information available in this news section is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional.