OBJECTIVES: Community-Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. The identification of the etiologic agent poses a major challenge in the management of CAP patients. Early detection of the causative pathogen can mitigate antibiotic overuse and misuse, leading to reduced healthcare costs and curbing the rise of antimicrobial drug resistance. This analysis aims to estimate the clinical and economic impact of a Host-Response Diagnostic Test (HRDT), able to differentiate bacterial from viral pathogens in CAP patients presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) in France.

METHODS: A literature-based cost-impact model was adapted to the French context to evaluate the financial consequences of the introduction of HRDT into the Standard of Care (SOC) diagnostic process from the perspectives of third-party payers and hospitals. Comparative analysis was conducted on clinical and economic outcomes between treatment guided by SOC and treatment guided by SOC+HRDT in CAP patients presenting to the ED. Resource use data and unit costs were retrieved from the published literature and French national tariffs.

RESULTS: HRDT can help save healthcare resources in terms of antibiotic prescriptions (43% less), treatment duration (1.02 antibiotic days avoided per patient), and hospital length of stay (up to 0.42 days saved per patient). The adoption of HRDT (omitting its cost) would result in cost savings per patient in the range €58-€381 for hospitals and €19-€126 for payers, depending on which of the saving drivers above are factored in. The cost of hospital stay was the key determinant of results.

CONCLUSIONS: In CAP patients presenting to the ED in France, SOC+HRDT results as a cost-saving alternative for both payers and hospitals, whilst providing substantial clinical benefits.