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: Cynthia Castro Sweet, Carolyn Bradner Jasik, Amy Diebold, Ashley DuPuis, Bryan Jendretzke
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Columbia Data Analytics, LLC 2020-08-01
Series:Journal of Health Economics and Outcomes Research
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.36469/jheor.2020.14529
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author Cynthia Castro Sweet
Carolyn Bradner Jasik
Amy Diebold
Ashley DuPuis
Bryan Jendretzke
author_facet Cynthia Castro Sweet
Carolyn Bradner Jasik
Amy Diebold
Ashley DuPuis
Bryan Jendretzke
author_sort Cynthia Castro Sweet
collection DOAJ
description **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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spelling doaj-art-bbdcdee3a5a94a93b46be3b13e16ca0a2025-02-10T16:12:30ZengColumbia Data Analytics, LLCJournal of Health Economics and Outcomes Research2327-22362020-08-0172Cost Savings and Reduced Health Care Utilization Associated with Participation in a Digital Diabetes Prevention Program in an Adult Workforce PopulationCynthia Castro SweetCarolyn Bradner JasikAmy DieboldAshley DuPuisBryan Jendretzke**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.https://doi.org/10.36469/jheor.2020.14529
spellingShingle Cynthia Castro Sweet
Carolyn Bradner Jasik
Amy Diebold
Ashley DuPuis
Bryan Jendretzke
Cost Savings and Reduced Health Care Utilization Associated with Participation in a Digital Diabetes Prevention Program in an Adult Workforce Population
Journal of Health Economics and Outcomes Research
title Cost Savings and Reduced Health Care Utilization Associated with Participation in a Digital Diabetes Prevention Program in an Adult Workforce Population
title_full Cost Savings and Reduced Health Care Utilization Associated with Participation in a Digital Diabetes Prevention Program in an Adult Workforce Population
title_fullStr Cost Savings and Reduced Health Care Utilization Associated with Participation in a Digital Diabetes Prevention Program in an Adult Workforce Population
title_full_unstemmed Cost Savings and Reduced Health Care Utilization Associated with Participation in a Digital Diabetes Prevention Program in an Adult Workforce Population
title_short Cost Savings and Reduced Health Care Utilization Associated with Participation in a Digital Diabetes Prevention Program in an Adult Workforce Population
title_sort cost savings and reduced health care utilization associated with participation in a digital diabetes prevention program in an adult workforce population
url https://doi.org/10.36469/jheor.2020.14529
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