Persistent and transient productive efficiency in the African airline industry.

Airline efficiency growth is considered one of the key factors for aviation sustainability in Africa and for creating a successful relationship between aviation activities and economic development in the continent. This paper proposes estimating the efficiency of African airlines in the period 2010-2019 using a state-of-the-art stochastic frontier model disentangling persistent efficiency, transient efficiency, and unobserved heterogeneity. We also examine the impact on both persistent and transient efficiency of (i) ownership structure, (ii) political stability, (iii) airline geographical location, (iv) airline domicile country's economic freedom, and (v) airline participation in a global alliance.

A real-world comparison of the clinical and economic utility of OVA1 and CA125 in assessing ovarian tumor malignancy risk.

This largest-of-its-kind study evaluated the clinical utility of CA125 and OVA1, commonly used as ovarian tumor markers for assessing the risk of malignancy. The research focused on the ability and utility of these tests to reliably predict patients at low risk for ovarian cancer. Clinical utility endpoints were 12-month maintenance of benign mass status, reduction in gynecologic oncologist referral, avoidable surgical intervention and associated cost savings.

A 90-Day Episode-of-Care Analysis Including Computed Tomography Scans of Robotic-Arm Assisted versus Manual Total Knee Arthroplasty.

In this observational, retrospective study, we performed economic analyses between robotic arm-assisted total knee arthroplasty (RATKA) and manual total knee arthroplasty (MTKA). Specifically, we compared: (1) index costs including computed tomography (CT) scans; (2) 90-day postoperative health care utilization, (3) 90-day episode-of-care (EOC) costs, and (4) lengths of stay between CT scan-based robotically-assisted versus MTKAs. A large national database, Blue Health Intelligence (BHI), was used for RATKAs and MTKAs performed between April 1, 2017 and September 30, 2019.

Use of combinatorial pharmacogenomic guidance in treating psychiatric disorders.

Aim: To evaluate payer costs associated with treating psychiatric disorders utilizing a combinatorial pharmacogenomics test versus treatment-as-usual (TAU).

Patients & Methods: Administrative claims data were analyzed from health plan members whose treatment was guided by GeneSight Psychotropic testing (CPGx cohort) and those who received TAU (TAU cohort). Reimbursed costs were calculated over the 12-month pre-index and post-index event periods.

Economic Impact of Increased Utilization of Multivariate Assay Testing to Guide the Treatment of Ovarian Cancer: Implications for Payers.

Background: Ovarian cancer is the eighth most common cancer among women, but ranks fifth in cancer-related causes of death, the majority of which are detected in late stages, after the cancer has metastasized. The CA125 test is the standard of care for assessing suspicious pelvic masses. However, the primary use of CA125 is to monitor treatment progress rather than to screen for disease, and its sensitivity is exceedingly low, unlike the multivariate assay OVA1.