# Cost analysis of nurse-lead telephone follow-ups after benign hysterectomy: a randomized, single-blinded, four-arm, controlled multicenter trial

## TL;DR

The study found that nurse-led telephone follow-ups after benign hysterectomy are costly and inefficient, though a coaching approach reduced some costs.

## Contribution

This study provides new evidence on the cost implications of different nurse-led telephone follow-up strategies after benign hysterectomy.

## Key findings

- Groups with repeated telephone follow-ups had more than double the cost per patient compared to no follow-ups.
- The coaching telephone follow-up group had fewer unplanned contacts and lower informal care costs.
- A single telephone follow-up resulted in the highest time consumption for follow-up activities.

## Abstract

The aim of the study was to evaluate the health economics of nurse-led telephone follow-up contacts (TFUs) within six weeks after benign hysterectomy in a societal perspective, using a cost minimization analysis model.

A randomized, single-blinded, controlled, Swedish multicenter study comprising 487 women undergoing benign hysterectomy. The women were allocated 1:1:1:1 to either Group A (no TFUs), Group B (one clinically structured TFU the day after discharge), Group C (as B, but with additional TFUs once weekly for six weeks, in total six TFUs), or Group D (as C, but by applying a coaching technique). Time consumption for planned TFUs, informal care, and the number of unplanned telephone contacts and visits were recorded. Costs were assessed using a cost-per-patient price list for Linköping University Hospital.

The total cost per patient more than doubled in the groups with repeated TFUs (Groups C and D) compared with no TFUs (Group A). Group D demonstrated fewer unplanned telephone contacts and lower informal care costs. Group B, with only one TFU, exhibited the highest time consumption for TFU. The additional costs of six TFUs, with or without coaching, substantially increased the costs. The coaching TFU group (Group D) had the lowest cost for informal care.

TFUs appeared to be costly and an inefficient way of using healthcare resources after benign hysterectomy. The coaching TFU seemed to reduce unplanned telephone contacts and lower informal care costs. Careful consideration of the costs and the impact on clinical outcomes is important before implementing TFU after surgery.

This study is registered retrospectively in ClinicalTrial.gov: NCT01526668 on January 27, 2012. Date of enrollment of first patient: October 11; 2011.