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  MO17 - Radiotherapy I: Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiotherapy (ID 106)

  • Event: WCLC 2013
  • Type: Mini Oral Abstract Session
  • Track: Radiation Oncology + Radiotherapy
  • Presentations: 1
  • Moderators:M. Zwitter, S.K. Vinod
  • Coordinates: 10/29/2013, 16:15 - 17:45, Bayside 204 A+B, Level 2

  • 12242

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    MO17.07 - The cost of stereotactic body radiotherapy in early-stage lung cancer: a multicenter cost-calculation. (ID 1772)

    16:55 - 17:00  |  Author(s): H. Engels
    • Abstract
    • Presentation
    • Slides

    Background
    In the framework of a coverage with evidence development program on innovative radiotherapy techniques in Belgium, the cost of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) was calculated and compared to the cost of more standardized 3D-conformal (3D-CRT) and intensity-modulated (IMRT) radiotherapy treatments.

    Methods
    Activity-Based Costing methodology was used to calculate resource costs of radiotherapy treatments delivered in ten operational Belgian departments. Cost inputs were defined as personnel costs (number of full-time equivalents (FTE) devoted to the actual radiotherapy process times reference wages according to the guidelines of the Belgian Health Care Knowledge Centre (KCE)), equipment costs (including maintenance and upgrade) and specific material costs. Following KCE guidelines, overhead was accounted at 56% of global costs excluding physician wages. The activities in scope comprised all activities performed during the radiotherapy process from the first consultation, over treatment preparation, delivery and quality assurance until completion of the treatment. Products included all radiotherapy treatments delivered in each specific department and combined indication with treatment site and technical complexity. In view of the comparative analysis, products were aggregated into larger categories.

    Results
    The average cost of all SBRT treatments was calculated at 6,221€ (range 3,104€ - 12,649€) and compared favorably to the average cost of standard fractionated 3D-CRT (5,919€, range 4,557€ - 6,564€) and IMRT (7,379€, range 5,054€ - 8,733€). The average cost of hypofractionated 3D-CRT and IMRT was lower (3,993€ res. 4,730€). Apart from differences in investment costs, the relatively larger variability in fraction number and in time requirements for individual personnel types performing the radiotherapy activities explain the larger spread in treatment cost of SBRT compared to more standardized radiotherapy treatments. The figure demonstrates these differences for various technical SBRT solutions and for different 3D-CRT and IMRT fractionation schedules. The overall averages are shown by the bars, minimum and maximum center averages by the error bars. The number of centers is mentioned between brackets. Activity times shown combine time per personnel with number of FTE. Figure 1

    Conclusion
    Cost calculation of radiotherapy treatments at the multi-institutional level using Activity-Based Costing is feasible. SBRT shows larger variation in cost than more standardized radiotherapy approaches in line with the larger variability in technical solutions, time requirements and resource consumption. Its average cost however does not exceed the average cost of standard curative radiotherapy. Careful interpretation of these variables within the applicable economic context is required when using such cost data for determining financing levels.

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