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The costs, resource use, and cost-effectiveness of Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNSs) led interventions for patients with palliative care needs: a systematic review of international evidence

Salamanca-Balen, Natalia; Seymour, Jane; Caswell, Glenys; Whynes, David; Tod, Angela

Authors

Natalia Salamanca-Balen

Jane Seymour

Glenys Caswell

David Whynes

Angela Tod



Abstract

Background: Patients with palliative care (PC) needs do not access specialist palliative care services according to their necessities. Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS) working across a variety of fields are playing an increasingly important role in the care of such patients, but there is limited knowledge of the extent to which their interventions are cost-effective.
Objectives: To present results from a systematic review of the international evidence on the costs, resource use and cost effectiveness of CNS led interventions for patients palliative care needs, defined as seriously ill patients and those with advanced disease or frailty who are unlikely to be cured, recover, or stabilize.
Design: Systematic review following PRISMA methodology.
Data sources: Medline, Embase, Cinahl and Cochrane library up to 2015. Studies focusing on the outcomes of CNS interventions for patients with PC needs, and including at least one economic outcome, were considered. The quality of studies was assessed using tools from the Joanna-Briggs-Institute.
Results: A total of 79 papers were included: 37 RCTs, 22 quasi-experimental studies, 7 service evaluations and other studies, and 13 economic analyses. The studies included a wide variety of interventions including clinical, support and education, as well as care coordination activities. The quality of the studies varied greatly.
Conclusions: CNSs interventions may be effective in reducing specific resource use such as hospitalizations /re-hospitalizations/admissions, length of stay, and health care costs. There is mixed evidence regarding their cost-effectiveness. Future studies should ensure that clinical nurse specialists’ roles and activities are clearly described and evaluated.

Citation

Salamanca-Balen, N., Seymour, J., Caswell, G., Whynes, D., & Tod, A. (2017). The costs, resource use, and cost-effectiveness of Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNSs) led interventions for patients with palliative care needs: a systematic review of international evidence. Palliative Medicine, https://doi.org/10.1177/0269216317711570

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Apr 26, 2017
Publication Date May 28, 2017
Deposit Date Jun 16, 2017
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal Palliative Medicine
Electronic ISSN 1477-030X
Publisher SAGE Publications
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
DOI https://doi.org/10.1177/0269216317711570
Keywords Economics, Cost-effectiveness, cost-benefit analysis, health care costs, health resources, clinical nurse specialist, CNS, frail elderly, palliative care, advanced disease
Public URL https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/862188
Publisher URL http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0269216317711570

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