Background: Depression is associated with a substantial utilization of resources in the German healthcare system. A typical symptom in depression is loss of drive, which possibly contributes to non-adherence and increased costs.
Objective: The study is based on routine healthcare data and tested the hypothesis that telephone coaching in cases of depression leads to a reduction in total healthcare costs.
Material and methods: Based on approximately 80 covariates and using propensity score matching, a total of 1586 persons who had received telephone coaching for depression and covered by a German statutory health insurance fund were matched to a comparable cohort of patients with depression to whom telephone coaching had not been provided.
Results: Within the study period of 12 months (3rd quarter 2012-4th quarter 2013) a positive program effect was observed for the intervention group by a significant reduction of total healthcare costs (2332 € vs. 2626 €, p = 0.0015) resulting in total savings to the statutory health insurance fund of 415,532 €. Investment costs amounted to 256,683.42 € leading to a return on investment of 1.62 € (total savings/total investment). The coaching program was well accepted by patients.
Conclusion: Telephone coaching for depression was able to significantly reduce total healthcare expenditure and the intervention was well accepted by patients.
Keywords: Depression; Healthcare research; Patient coaching; Routine data; Telephone coaching.