Cost Savings and Reduced Health Care Utilization Associated with Participation in a Digital Diabetes Prevention Program in an Adult Workforce Population
**Background:** Though in-person delivery of the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) has demonstrated medical cost savings, the economic impact of digital programs is not as well understood. **Objective:** This study examines the impact of a digital DPP program on reducing all-cause health care costs...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Columbia Data Analytics, LLC
2020-08-01
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| Series: | Journal of Health Economics and Outcomes Research |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.36469/jheor.2020.14529 |
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| Summary: | **Background:** Though in-person delivery of the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) has demonstrated medical cost savings, the economic impact of digital programs is not as well understood.
**Objective:** This study examines the impact of a digital DPP program on reducing all-cause health care costs and utilization among 2027 adult participants at 12 months.
**Methods:** A longitudinal, observational analysis of health care claims data was conducted on a workforce population who participated in a digital diabetes prevention program. Differences in utilization and costs from the year prior to program delivery through 1 year after enrollment were calculated using medical claims data for digital DPP participants compared to a propensity matched cohort in a differences-in-differences model.
**Results:** At 1 year, the digital DPP population had a reduction in all-cause health care spend of US$1169 per participant relative to the comparison group (_P_ = 0.01), with US$699 of that savings coming from reduced inpatient spend (_P_ = 0.001). Cost savings were driven by fewer hospital admissions and shorter length of stay (_P_ < 0.001). No other significant results in cost differences were detected. There was a trend toward savings extending into the second year, but the savings did not reach statistical significance.
**Conclusions:** These results demonstrated significant short-term health care cost savings at 1 year associated with digital DPP program delivery. |
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| ISSN: | 2327-2236 |