OBJECTIVES: To estimate the health care resource utilization (HCRU) among Finnish Multiple Myeloma (MM) patients, and to recognize potential resource utilization patterns over time.

METHODS: A population-based cohort study was conducted of Finnish patients newly diagnosed with multiple myeloma (ICD-10:C90.0) between 1.1.2015 and 31.12.2019 and followed from the first diagnosis until the end of the study period (31.12.2020). Primary care (PC) and specialty care (SC) HCRU data from The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare registries was collected and analyzed for all healthcare events including visits, inpatient stays and other contacts. To recognize HCRU patterns, resource use per patient-year (py) was grouped by years (1-5) since diagnosis. Additionally, HCRU was examined one year and 6 months prior to death, and from the start of palliative care to death.

RESULTS: In total, 1615 patients with 4468 py of follow-up were identified. During the study period patients had on average 95.5 healthcare events/py, of which 62.0% were PC events and 27.9% were MM specific. Majority of MM specific events (93.6%) were in SC. HCRU tended to be higher during the first year after diagnosis than during the following four years. 417 and 505 patients could be followed for 1 year and 6 months before death, respectively. In addition, 145 patients received palliative care before death. Patients had on average 199.2 and 179.6 healthcare events/py 6 months and 1 year before death, of which 75.5% and 76.1% were PC events and 17.1% and 18.4% were MM specific. Between the initiation of the palliative care and death, patients had on average 222.3 healthcare events/py with 86.0% being PC events and 11.1% MM specific.

CONCLUSIONS: Multiple myeloma imposes a significant burden in primary care and specialty care in Finland. The total HCRU increases towards the end of patients’ life and focuses to primary care setting.