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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
How to estimate the cost of point-of-care CD4 testing in program settings: An example using the Alere Pima™ analyzer in South Africa
PLoS ONE, Volume 7, No. 4, Article e35444, Year 2012
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Description
Integrating POC CD4 testing technologies into HIV counseling and testing (HCT) programs may improve post-HIV testing linkage to care and treatment. As evaluations of these technologies in program settings continue, estimates of the costs of POC CD4 tests to the service provider will be needed and estimates have begun to be reported. Without a consistent and transparent methodology, estimates of the cost per CD4 test using POC technologies are likely to be difficult to compare and may lead to erroneous conclusions about costs and cost-effectiveness. This paper provides a step-by-step approach for estimating the cost per CD4 test from a provider's perspective. As an example, the approach is applied to one specific POC technology, the Pima™ Analyzer. The costing approach is illustrated with data from a mobile HCT program in Gauteng Province of South Africa. For this program, the cost per test in 2010 was estimated at $23.76 (material costs = $8.70; labor cost per test = $7.33; and equipment, insurance, and daily quality control = $7.72). Labor and equipment costs can vary widely depending on how the program operates and the number of CD4 tests completed over time. Additional costs not included in the above analysis, for on-going training, supervision, and quality control, are likely to increase further the cost per test. The main contribution of this paper is to outline a methodology for estimating the costs of incorporating POC CD4 testing technologies into an HCT program. The details of the program setting matter significantly for the cost estimate, so that such details should be clearly documented to improve the consistency, transparency, and comparability of cost estimates. © 2012 Larson et al.
Authors & Co-Authors
Larson, Bruce A.
United States, Boston
School of Public Health
Schnippel, Kathryn
South Africa, Johannesburg
University of the Witwatersrand
Ndibongo, Buyiswa
South Africa, Johannesburg
University of the Witwatersrand
Long, Lawrence C.
South Africa, Johannesburg
University of the Witwatersrand
Fox, Matthew P.
United States, Boston
School of Public Health
South Africa, Johannesburg
University of the Witwatersrand
Rosen, Sydney B.
United States, Boston
School of Public Health
South Africa, Johannesburg
University of the Witwatersrand
Statistics
Citations: 60
Authors: 6
Affiliations: 2
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1371/journal.pone.0035444
e-ISSN:
19326203
Research Areas
Infectious Diseases
Study Locations
South Africa