Future of Patients in Healthcare Evaluation: The Patient-Informed Reference Case

Julia F Slejko; T Joseph Mattingly 2nd; C Daniel Mullins; Eleanor M Perfetto; Susan dosReis

doi:10.1016/j.jval.2019.02.003

Future of Patients in Healthcare Evaluation: The Patient-Informed Reference Case

Value Health. 2019 May;22(5):545-548. doi: 10.1016/j.jval.2019.02.003.

Authors

Julia F Slejko¹, T Joseph Mattingly 2nd², C Daniel Mullins³, Eleanor M Perfetto⁴, Susan dosReis³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pharmaceutical Health Services Research, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, MD, USA. Electronic address: jslejko@rx.umaryland.edu.
² Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, MD, USA.
³ Department of Pharmaceutical Health Services Research, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, MD, USA.
⁴ Department of Pharmaceutical Health Services Research, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, MD, USA; National Health Council, Washington, DC, USA.

PMID: 31104732
DOI: 10.1016/j.jval.2019.02.003

Abstract

The "Reference Case" was developed to facilitate comparability among published cost-effectiveness analyses intended to contribute to decisions about the broad allocation of healthcare resources. Although the societal perspective is recommended for Reference Case analyses, empirical estimations rarely adequately represent the patient perspective, and more often, healthcare system or payer perspectives are used. In this commentary, we discuss the evolution of the Reference Case over the past 20 years and how it now needs to further evolve. This should begin with a patient-informed societal perspective. A realignment of the societal perspective to better include patient perspectives in CEA creates a conduit for patient inclusion. Engaging patients to both derive patient-informed value elements and prioritize value elements using stated preference methods will lead to patient inclusion in the societal perspective and a patient-informed Reference Case analysis.

Keywords: Reference Case; patient perspective; societal perspective.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Cost-Benefit Analysis / methods*
Decision Making, Organizational
Delivery of Health Care*
Humans
Patient Participation*
Quality-Adjusted Life Years*
Resource Allocation*
Social Values