Comparison of Cost-Effectiveness between Inpatient and Home-Based Post-Acute Care Models for Stroke Rehabilitation in Taiwan

Yu-Ju Tung, Wen-Chih Lin, Lin-Fu Lee, Hong-Min Lin, Chung-Han Ho and Willy Chou
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Yu-Ju Tung: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan 710, Taiwan
Wen-Chih Lin: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chi Mei Medical Center, Chiali Branch, Tainan 722, Taiwan
Lin-Fu Lee: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chi Mei Medical Center, Chiali Branch, Tainan 722, Taiwan
Hong-Min Lin: Institute of Medical Education, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan 710, Taiwan
Chung-Han Ho: Department of Medical Research, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan 710, Taiwan
Willy Chou: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan 710, Taiwan

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 8, 1-12

Abstract: Stroke rehabilitation focuses on alleviating post-stroke disability. Post-acute care (PAC) offers an intensive rehabilitative program as transitional care following acute stroke. A novel home-based PAC program has been initiated in Taiwan since 2019. Our study aimed to compare the current inpatient PAC model with a novel home-based PAC model in cost-effectiveness and functional recovery for stroke patients in Taiwan. One hundred ninety-seven stroke patients eligible for the PAC program were divided into two different health interventional groups. One received rehabilitation during hospitalization, and the other received rehabilitation by therapists at home. To evaluate the health economics, we assessed the total medical expenditure on rehabilitation using the health system of Taiwan national health insurance and performed cost-effectiveness analyses using improvements of daily activity in stroke patients based on the Barthel index (BI). Total rehabilitative duration and functional recovery were also documented. The total rehabilitative cost was cheaper in the home-based PAC group ( p < 0.001), and the cost-effectiveness is USD 152.474 ± USD 164.661 in the inpatient group, and USD 48.184 ± USD 35.018 in the home group ( p < 0.001). Lesser rehabilitative hours per 1-point increase of BI score was noted in the home-PAC group with similar improvements in daily activities, life quality and nutrition in both groups. Home-based PAC is more cost-effective than inpatient PAC for stroke rehabilitation.

Keywords: stroke; post-acute care; cost-effectiveness; rehabilitation; functional recovery (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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