The Economic Evaluation of Group Examination for Gastrointestianl Disease in an Electronics Corporation : The Cost-Benefit Analysis Follow-Up Study for Peptic Ulcer

Abstract

To investigate the usefulness of gastrointestinal fiberscope examination (GIF) for peptic ulcer in the health care station (station), a cost-benefit analysis was performed from the standpoint of the company, the health insurance society (insurance society), and workers. Before the analysis, the clinical course of the peptic ulcer, direct cost of the examination, and indirectcost due to time taken for the examination at the station were compared with those in a private hospital (hospital). In 1994, 202 cases of gastric ulcer (GU) (194 male cases, 8 female cases) and 199 cases of duodenal ulcer (DU) (195 male cases, 4 female casese) underwent GIF examination at the station. Cases of admission and emergency operation due to GU and DU at the station were less than those at the hospital. The benefits obtained for the company, the insurance society and the workers were as follows: we saw a decrease in the loss of working time, a decrease in the medical care cost, a decrease in patient costsharing and a prevention of income loss due to admission (or prevention of the loss of a paid holiday). The time spent for GIF at the station was also less than at the hospetal. This was a direct benefit for the company (a decrease in the loss of working time) and for the workers (prevention of the loss of a paid holiday). A further benefit for the company was a decrease in the cost of the miniature gastrointestinal mass survey of the workers who were followed up by GIF examination at the station. Total of more than 30 million yen in costbenefits was obtained. The economic evaluation of followhup studies at the station was necessary to demonstrate the importance of health care to the company, and to the workers. A cost-benefit analysis was suited to this purpose, creating easily understandable results even if productivity did not count.