Cost-effectiveness of frequent in-center hemodialysis

Published evidence suggests that frequent hemodialysis (more than three times per week) for patients with ESRD may improve health-related quality of life and has the potential to increase longevity and reduce hospitalization and other complications. Here, a Monte Carlo simulation model was used to compare varying combinations of in-center hemodialysis frequency (three to six treatments per week) and session length (2 to 4.5 h per session) with regard to unadjusted and quality-adjusted life-years and total lifetime costs for a cohort of 200,000 patients, representing the prevalent ESRD population. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was calculated for the various regimens relative to a conventional hemodialysis regimen (three treatments per week, 3.5 h per session). Using conservative assumptions of the potential effects of more frequent hemodialysis on outcomes, most strategies achieved a cost-effectiveness ratio of <$125,000, although all had a cost-effectiveness ratio of >$75,000. The cost-effectiveness ratio increased with the frequency of hemodialysis. More frequent in-center hemodialysis strategies could become cost-neutral if the cost per hemodialysis session could be reduced by 32 to 43%. No other change in model assumptions achieved cost neutrality. In conclusion, given the extraordinarily high costs of the l program, the viability of more frequent hemodialysis strategies depends on significant improvements in the economic model underlying the delivery of hemodialysis.