Cost Comparison of Fibroid Treatment

When we consider the cost of a treatment we must look at the cost to the NHS in the short and longer term, the cost to the patients and their families, who may have to take time off work to look the woman and the costs to employers and society. It is important to people that they recover quickly and get back to normal life as soon as possible. Most women cannot afford to take 3 months off work, especially if they run their own business, have a senior position, are on piece work or have family responsibilities. NICE has not considered the costs to patients, their families and society in the past.

The NHS has a tariff which is an average cost of treatment in England. The table below shows the current tariff and there are considerable savings to be made for the NHS.

In April 2011 a new 'Best Practice Tariff' will be introduced for UFE to encourage hospital trust to offer UFE. It will allow them to make more surplus than hysterectomy. The Department of Health wants to encourage less hysterectomies and more less invasive treatments such as UFE.

The tariff shown is abdominal hysterectomy. Tariffs for myomectomy are for abdominal and laparoscopic.

In the table below we show how much the NHS could save if all the 60% of hysterectomies performed for fiobroids in England each year were converted to UFE. FEmISA does not advocate this as all women should have a choice in treatment, but most do not as they are not told of alternatives to hysterectomy.

Potential Saving on In-Patient Costs from Treatments with Embolisation instead of Hysterectomy

Further potential cost savings

• Reduction in HRT usage from early menopause associated with hysterectomy
• Reduction in short and longer term readmissions and morbidity

It is also important to look at some of the costs to patients and their families and employers.

Reduction in cost of patients and their families

• Less need for care at home from family member
• Return to work/normal life 1-2 weeks with embolisation c.f. Hysterectomy 3 months
• Early HRT use much less likely - prescription charges per hormone so at least double normal charge
• Reduction in cost to the economy, employers, society
• Return to work/normal life 1-2 weeks with embolisation c.f. Hysterectomy 3 months