title: Fundamental principles of conducting a surgery economic analysis study.
abstract: The use of economic evaluation in surgery is scarce. Economic evaluation is used even less so in plastic surgery, in which health-related quality of life is of particular importance. This article, part of a tutorial series on evidence-based medicine, focuses on the fundamental principles of conducting a surgery economic analysis. The authors include the essential aspects of conducting a surgical cost-utility analysis by considering perspectives, costs, outcomes, and utilities. The authors also describe and give examples of how to conduct the analyses (including calculating quality-adjusted life-years and discounting), how to interpret the results, and how to report the results. Although economic analyses are not simple to conduct, a well-conducted one provides many rewards, such as recommending the adoption of a more effective treatment. For comparing and interpreting economic analysis publications, it is important that all studies use consistent methodology and report the results in a similar manner.
authors.affiliation: Ann Arbor, Mich. From the Section of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Health System.
authors.forename: Sandra V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Kotsis
authors.forename: Kevin C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003663:Decision Trees; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods*; D011788:Quality of Life; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years; D013518:Surgery, Plastic / Q000191:economics*