Recent temporal trends in hospital costs for non-surgical patients receiving implantable cardioverter defibrillators.

PURPOSE

Many studies have analyzed the cost-effectiveness of implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), but hospital costs have not been as thoroughly reported. This study reviewed the associated hospital costs for non-surgical patients who received ICDs from 2015 to 2019.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective single-center analysis of patients who received an ICD between 2015 and 2019. ICD cost was analyzed with respect to time using linear regression t-test analysis.

RESULTS

For 304 patients, we trended cost of the devices over time. 168 (55.2%) cases were single-chamber devices, 53 (17.4%) were dual-chamber, 59 (19.4%) were cardiac resynchronization therapy-defibrillators (CRT-D), and 24 (7.9%) were subcutaneous devices. The cost of all ICDs decreased by -$1.82/day (p<0.001), R = 0.056. By type, cost of single-chamber devices decreased by -$2.56/day (p<0.001), R = 0.47, dual-chamber ICD by -$3.50/day (p<0.001), R = 0.51, CRT-D by -$4.07/day (p<0.001), R = 0.47, and subcutaneous by -$3.33/day (p<0.001), R = 0.83.

CONCLUSION

This is the first detailed analysis of ICD costs that we are aware of. The cost of all ICDs decreased modestly and became much greater when categorized by type. Overall hospital cost associated with ICD implantation did not show a significant trend, but total supply cost showed a significant decrease over time.