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Appl Clin Inform 2025; 16(04): 1086-1094
DOI: 10.1055/a-2595-3329
Research Article

Evaluating Cost Savings Associated with a Patient-Facing Asthma Mobile Health Intervention

Julia Nadelmann
1   Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States
,
Milin Patel
2   Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
,
Sarah Lane
1   Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States
,
James Hammock
3   Department of Psychiatry, McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern, Chicago, Illinois, United States
,
Allison Stark
4   Department of Internal Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York, United States
,
Sunit P. Jariwala
5   Department of Allergy and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York, United States
› Author Affiliations
Funding S.P.J. has received grant support from the NIH, AHRQ, Stony Wold-Herbert Fund, PCORI, American Lung Association, Price Family Fund, Genentech, AstraZeneca, Sonde Health, and Einstein CTSA/National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences; and has served as a consultant and/or member of a scientific advisory board for Teva and Sanofi.
› Further Information
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Abstract

Background

The patient-facing ASTHMAXcel mobile platform has been linked to improved asthma knowledge decreased asthma-related health care utilization (emergency department [ED] visits, hospitalizations), and reduced prednisone use among adult and pediatric patient populations.

Objectives

Given the upfront costs associated with developing mobile health platforms, this paper seeks to estimate the savings attributable to pediatric and adult users of the ASTHMAXcel platform through decreased hospitalizations, ED visits, and prednisone use.

Methods

Forty adult patients and 39 pediatric patients with asthma completed studies evaluating the effectiveness of the ASTHMAXcel mobile platform at Montefiore Medical Center. Study participants received the mobile intervention for 6 months and questionnaires were administered at baseline and follow-up visits. Using internal cost data from Montefiore and information on insurance coverage, we estimated the average costs saved by the decreases in ED visits, hospitalizations, and prednisone usage throughout the study time period.

Results

Throughout the study time period, participant exposure to ASTHMAXcel and ASTHMAXcel adventures was estimated to save a total of $367,280 with $270,732 in savings from adults' decreased asthma-related health care utilization and $96,548 from pediatric decreases in asthma-related health care utilization. The bulk of these savings estimates are driven by decreases in hospitalizations among both pediatric and adult participants during the study time frame.

Conclusion

Given the significant economic burden of asthma treatment and management and its disproportionate impact on those who are economically disadvantaged, it is critical that asthma interventions are assessed not only for their clinical effectiveness but also for their cost-effectiveness.

Keywords

telemedicine - asthma - mobile health - cost savings - health care utilization

Protection of Human and Animal Subjects

This study was performed in compliance with the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki on Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects and was reviewed by the Montefiore Institutional Review Board.




Publication History

Received: 12 January 2025

Accepted: 25 April 2025

Accepted Manuscript online:
28 April 2025

Article published online:
12 September 2025

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