The integrated care pathway for managing post stroke patients (iCaPPS^©) in public primary care Healthcentres in Malaysia: impact on quality adjusted life years (QALYs) and cost effectiveness analysis

The delivery of post stroke care is fragmented even in advanced public healthcare systems, globally. Primary care teams are entrusted to provide longer term care for stroke survivors in most developing countries. The integrated Care Pathway for Post Stroke patients (iCaPPS^©) was designed to guide primary care teams to incorporate further rehabilitation and regular screening for post stroke complications among patients residing at home in communities, using the shared-care approach, especially in areas with limited access to specialist stroke care services. The iCaPPS^© addressed coordination of rehabilitation and screening for post stroke complications which were absent in the current conventional care of patients managed at public primary care healthcentres. This study aimed to evaluate the cost effectiveness and impact of iCaPPS^© on quality-adjusted- life-years (QALY) compared with current conventional monitoring at public primary care healthcentres.

A pragmatic healthcentre-based cluster randomised controlled trial-within trial on 151 post stroke patients from 10 public primary care facilities in Peninsular Malaysia was conducted to evaluate QALY of patients managed with iCaPPS^© (n = 86) vs conventional care (n = 65) for 6 months. Costs from societal perspective were calculated, using combination of top down and activity-based costing methods. The 5-level EQ5D (EQ-5D-5 L) was used to calculate health state utility scores. Cost per QALY and incremental cost effectiveness ratio (ICER) were determined. Differences within groups were determined using Mann-Whitney tests.

Total costs for 6 months treatment with iCaPPS^© was MYR790.34, while conventional care cost MYR527.22. Median QALY for iCaPPS^© was 0.55 (0,1.65) compared to conventional care 0.32 (0, 0.73) (z = − 0.21, p = 0.84). Cost per QALY for iCaPPS^© was MYR1436.98, conventional care was MYR1647.56. The ICER was MYR1144.00, equivalent to 3.7% of per capita GDP (2012 prices).

Management of post stroke patients in the community using iCaPPS^© costs less per QALY compared to current conventional care and is very cost effective.

Trial Registration number ACTRN12616001322​426. Registered 21 September 2016. (Retrospectively registered).