Outcomes Assessment in End - Stage Kidney Disease - Measurements and Applications in Clinical Practice

Outcomes Assessment in End - Stage Kidney Disease - Measurements and Applications in Clinical Practice

Indexed in: Book Citation Index, Science Edition, EBSCO.

With an increase of the population of elderly people in modern society due to advances in medicine and healthcare facilities, there is also an increase in the incidence and duration of chronic ...
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The Economic Burden of Dialysis Patients in Belgium: a Comparison Between Haemo and Peritoneal Dialysis

Pp. 208-222 (15)

Max Dratwa, Anne-Marie Bogaert, Koen Bouman, Xavier Warling, Remi Hombrouckx, Mario Schurgers, Pierre Dupont, Anne Vereerstraeten, Guy Van Roost, Karin Caekelbergh, Mark Lamotte and Suzanne Laplante

Abstract

The number of patients on dialysis has increased by about 50% in the past decade in Belgium. This growth is expected to continue, albeit at a slower pace, due to the ageing of the population and the increased prevalence of hypertension and diabetes, two of the main causes of end-stage kidney disease. The aim of this study was to assess the economic burden (i.e., dialysis procedure; hospitalizations; ambulatory care; medications; transport) to the public healthcare payer of patients undergoing dialysis in Belgium. Records of 130 Belgian patients on dialysis in 2006 were retrospectively reviewed to identify direct medical and non-medical resources used over a year. Official tariffs were used to cost the resources. Considering the prevalence of each dialysis modality in Belgium, the average cost of a dialysis patient was found to be €70,649 per year (haemodialysis: €72,350; peritoneal dialysis: €55,343). The dialysis procedure itself was the main cost driver (66% of all costs) followed by hospitalizations and ambulatory care (16% of all costs each). The dialysis procedure per se was 27% more expensive, while hospital and ambulatory services were respectively 28% and 45% more expensive for haemodialysis than peritoneal dialysis patients. Considering that there were 6,607 patients on dialysis in Belgium (0.06% of the Belgian population) at the end of 2006, it is estimated that the economic burden to the Belgian healthcare system was 467 million Euro or 2.45% of the healthcare budget. This study provides further evidence that home modalities, such as peritoneal dialysis, could help reduce the economic burden of dialysis on the healthcare budget.

Keywords:

Dialysis, haemodialysis, home dialysis, peritoneal dialysis, healthcare costs, Belgium, economic burden.

Affiliation:

Health Economics and Outcomes Research, IMS Health, Medialaan 38, Vilvoorde, Belgium.