- Title
- Cost-analysis of teledentistry in residential aged care facilities
- Creator
- Mariño, Rodrigo; Tonmukayakul, Utsana; Manton, David; Stranieri, Andrew; Clarke, Ken
- Date
- 2016
- Type
- Text; Journal article
- Identifier
- http://researchonline.federation.edu.au/vital/access/HandleResolver/1959.17/101912
- Identifier
- vital:10726
- Identifier
-
https://doi.org/10.1177/1357633X15608991
- Identifier
- ISSN:1357-633X
- Abstract
- Introduction: The purpose of this research was to conduct a cost-analysis, from a public healthcare perspective, comparing the cost and benefits of face-to-face patient examination assessments conducted by a dentist at a residential aged care facility (RACF) situated in rural areas of the Australian state of Victoria, with two teledentistry approaches utilizing virtual oral examination. Methods: The costs associated with implementing and operating the teledentistry approach were identified and measured using 2014 prices in Australian dollars. Costs were measured as direct intervention costs and programme costs. A population of 100 RACF residents was used as a basis to estimate the cost of oral examination and treatment plan development for the traditional face-to-face model vs. two teledentistry models: an asynchronous review and treatment plan preparation; and realtime communication with a remotely located oral health professional. Results: It was estimated that if 100 residents received an asynchronous oral health assessment and treatment plan, the net cost from a healthcare perspective would be AU$32.35 (AU$27.19–AU$38.49) per resident. The total cost of the conventional face-to-face examinations by a dentist would be AU$36.59 ($30.67–AU$42.98) per resident using realistic assumptions. Meanwhile, the total cost of real-time remote oral examination would be AU$41.28 (AU$34.30–AU$48.87) per resident. Discussion: Teledental asynchronous patient assessments were the lowest cost service model. Access to oral health professionals is generally low in RACFs; however, the real-time consultation could potentially achieve better outcomes due to twoway communication between the nurse and a remote oral health professional via health promotion/disease prevention delivered in conjunction with the oral examination
- Publisher
- Sage Publications Ltd
- Relation
- Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare Vol. 22, no. 6 (2016), p.326-332
- Rights
- Copyright authors
- Rights
- This metadata is freely available under a CCO license
- Subject
- Economic evaluation; Cost-analysis; Teledentistry; Oral health; Older adults; 1105 Dentistry
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