Clinical Dermatology Research JournalISSN: 2576-1439

All submissions of the EM system will be redirected to Online Manuscript Submission System. Authors are requested to submit articles directly to Online Manuscript Submission System of respective journal.

Research Article, Clin Dermatol Res J Vol: 1 Issue: 1

Variation in Utilization and Spending for the Management of Actinic Keratosis

Joslyn S Kirby1*, Jeffery J Miller1 and Douglas Leslie2
1Department of Dermatology, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey PA, USA
2Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State Hershey, Hershey PA, USA
Corresponding author : Joslyn S Kirby
Department of Dermatology, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey PA, USA
Tel: 717-531-8307
Fax:
717-531-6516
E-mail:
Jkirby1@hmc.psu.edu
Received: December 12, 2015 Accepted: March 01, 2016 Published: March 07, 2016
Citation: Kirby JS, Miller JJ, Leslie D (2016) Variation in Utilization and Spending for the Management of Actinic Keratosis.Clin Dermatol Res J 1:1.

Abstract

Variation in Utilization and Spending for the Management of Actinic Keratosis

Importance: In 2004, the US health care spending for actinic keratosis (AK) management was $1.2 billion so any change in the money spent per person could equate to large cost differences due to the high prevalence.
Objective: To assess AK-specific healthcare utilization and costs and the impact of minimizing extremes of utilization and spending.
Methods: Retrospective cohort study, using data from a large private insurer for the mid-Atlantic region for the period of January 2010 to December 2012.
Results: The total cost of AK-related care was $40,719,495 for 95,294 patients with AK; prescriptions accounted for 8.6% and outpatient care for 91.4%. The use of extensive destruction (CPT 17004), prescription therapy, male gender and age were associated with a higher mean three-year cost per patient. The mean threeyear cost was $447.74; when outliers outside of the 1st and 99th percentile and 5th and 95th percentiles were replaced, the mean decreased by about $35 or $64, respectively.
Conclusions and relevance: Age, gender, and treatment factors all influence the total cost of AK management. The mean and total costs for are sensitive to the effects of outliers.

Keywords: Actinic keratosis; Health economics; Value; Variation; Health care spending; Expenditures; Cost

international publisher, scitechnol, subscription journals, subscription, international, publisher, science

Track Your Manuscript

Awards Nomination

Media Partners

Associations

open access