In this work package, we focus on personalized osteoarthritis care and determine the added value of tailored treatment for osteoarthritis.
PREDICTING WHICH TREATMENT WORKs BEST FOR WHOM
In the TopTreat cohort, data are collected at the start (baseline) and at multiple follow-up points up to 36 months. Using validated questionnaires, we gather information on symptoms and complaints, health status, healthcare utilization, and work productivity of patients. By analyzing patterns in this data, we aim to predict which patients are likely to experience an increase in symptoms. In addition, we aim to identify which patient and symptom characteristics are associated with greater effectiveness of specific treatments. Data on the effectiveness of interventions developed in the other work packages, along with insights into mobility, biomechanics, and medication response, will further contribute to this precision medicine approach: providing the right treatment at the right time to the right person.
The health economic impact of tailored osteoarthritis treatment
Personalized osteoarthritis care can only be implemented in a sustainable way if it is efficient and affordable. Therefore, we will evaluate the added value of various personalization strategies from both the patient’s perspective and a societal viewpoint. To do this, we will develop a simulation model that reflects how the healthcare innovations developed in the other work packages may impact future health outcomes and costs across the entire osteoarthritis care pathway. We will validate the structure of the model and its underlying evidence with experts, including clinicians and patient representatives. This ensures that the model realistically reflects clinical practice.
With this model, we will assess the cost-effectiveness and budget impact of these strategies, both in the short term (5 years) and long term (lifetime). We account for uncertainties in the underlying evidence and conduct exploratory analyses for the most uncertain factors. The resulting insights regarding cost-effectiveness and budget impact will lay the foundation for discussions regarding the broader implementation and reimbursement of the TopTreat innovations.
Together, these efforts contribute to efficient, personalized osteoarthritis care for individual patients and to a sustainable healthcare system.