Premium
Intensive treatment for adults with anorexia nervosa: The cost of weight restoration
Author(s) -
Guarda Angela S.,
Schreyer Colleen C.,
Fischer Laura K.,
Hansen Jennifer L.,
Coughlin Janelle W.,
Kaminsky Michael J.,
Attia Evelyn,
Redgrave Graham W.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
international journal of eating disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.785
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1098-108X
pISSN - 0276-3478
DOI - 10.1002/eat.22668
Subject(s) - anorexia nervosa , weight gain , medicine , pound (networking) , cost effectiveness , eating disorders , body weight , psychiatry , risk analysis (engineering) , world wide web , computer science
Objective Weight restoration in anorexia nervosa (AN) is associated with lower relapse risk; however rate of weight gain and percent of patients achieving weight restoration (BMI ≥ 19 at discharge) vary among treatment programs. We compared both cost/pound of weight gained and cost of weight restoration in a hospital‐based inpatient (IP)‐partial hospitalization (PH) eating disorders program to estimates of these costs for residential treatment. Method All adult first admissions to the IP‐PH program with AN ( N = 314) from 2003 to 2015 were included. Cost of care was based on hospital charges, rates of weight gain, and weight restoration data. Results were compared with residential treatment costs extracted from a national insurance claims database and published weight gain data. Results Average charge/day in the IP‐PH program was $2295 for IP and $1567 for PH, yielding an average cost/pound gained of $4089 and $7050, respectively, with 70% of patients achieving weight restoration. Based on published mean weight gain data and conservative cost/day estimates, residential treatment is associated with higher cost/pound, and both higher cost and lower likelihood of weight restoration for most patients. Discussion The key metrics used in this study are recommended for comparing the cost‐effectiveness of intensive treatment programs for patients with AN.