Cost savings associated with a web-based physical activity intervention for COPD.

Objective: To estimate the cost savings associated with a pedometer-based, web-mediated physical activity intervention in a cohort of US veterans with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Study Design: Economic analysis.

Methods: We constructed a decision tree from the health care system perspective incorporating adjusted relative risk of a pedometer-based, web-mediated intervention for COPD-related acute exacerbations, acute exacerbation-related costs (ie, emergency department visits and hospitalizations), and intervention-related costs. Total COPD-related costs were estimated per patient across 12 months. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis with Monte Carlo simulation was used to estimate uncertainty in the model findings.

Results: In the deterministic (base case) model, the model estimated costs to be $4236 per participant who used the pedometer-based, web-mediated intervention compared with $7913 per participant in the control group (estimated $3677 saved in 1 year compared with the control group). The model findings were robust to probabilistic sensitivity analysis, with a difference in mean costs of $4582 (95% probability interval, $4084-$5080; P < .001). Cost savings in the model were driven by the adjusted relative risk of the web-based intervention, probability of a COPD-related acute exacerbation, rate of hospitalization, probability of hospitalization, and cost of hospitalization.

Conclusions: A pedometer-based, web-mediated physical activity intervention yielded substantial cost savings. Increased implementation of the intervention could markedly reduce the economic burden of COPD for payers and patients.