After the result of our study that pulse oximetry in addition to physical examination is a cost-effective strategy to early detection to diagnose cases of Critical Congenital Heart Disease (CCHD) correctly, we performed the budget impact analysis for the Colombian Health System, if pulse oximetry will be used routinely.

METHODS

The methodology was based on ISPOR good practices for budget impact analysis, define the population with CCHD correctly detected, we used the figures of full- term newborns of the National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE), the prevalence of CCHD, specificity and sensitivity of pulse oximetry plus the routine physical examination and the physical examination alone (these estimated through systematic literature reviews). We used the costs of the physical examination, pulse oximetry, confirmatory examinations and we estimated the annual hospital direct medical cost and outpatient costs through micro-costing and validation with clinical experts. The scenarios were consulted to experts on the subject and the current scenario was defined with 0% of the use of pulse oximetry and new scenario in two proposals; second year the use in a 10% of the population and third year, 20%. The budget impact was calculated as the difference between the new scenario (second and third years) and the current scenario. The results were expressed in US dollars 2017

RESULTS

Detection costs of CCHD increased by $ 2.512.359 in the second year. The budget impact for the SGSSS in the second year considering costs of detection and incurred costs because of detection was estimated at $ 7.410.700 and in third year at $ 14.951.103.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates the importance of carrying out a budget impact analysis to provide a truthful information to the decision makers of the financial effort that the SGSSS would have to make if the recommendation of the result of the economic evaluation is adopted.