Urologix Applauds Research on Cost of BPH to Healthcare System
Minneapolis, Minnesota (PRWEB) August 26, 2013 -- Urologix, Inc. (OTC:ULGX) applauds the recent clinical article by Dr. Khurshid Roghmann et al, “Incidence and treatment patterns in males presenting with lower urinary tract symptoms to the emergency department in the United States” published in the June, 2013 Journal of Urology. The study examines the growing incidence and costs of emergency room admissions for men with BPH. Previous studies have looked at increases in co-morbidities associated with BPH hospital admissions, but this is the first to examine unrecognized costs of BPH capturing treatment costs for both the ER and hospital admissions. An abstract of the article can be found at http://www.urologix.com/clinicians/cooled-thermotherapy/publications.php or http://www.urologix.com/clinicians/prostiva-rf-therapy/publications.php on the Urologix website.
Since the initiation of Medicare Part D drug coverage in 2006, Medicare costs for BPH medication have dramatically risen. In the first year alone the government spent over $398 million on BPH drugs and that dollar amount more than doubled in 2007 to $843 million.
This study looks beyond the already significant cost of drug therapy and examines previously unpublished trends in emergency room visits by US males diagnosed with BPH, also referred to as Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS), from a national database which captured over 20% of US emergency department (ED) visits. The investigators’ analysis indicated that from 2006 to 2009 LUTS related ED costs increased 40%. The total cost of these visits in 2009 was an astonishing $494,981,922 representing a $130 million dollar increase in just three years. Of those men with LUTS presenting to the emergency department, adverse events were found in 62%, the most common being catheterization followed by infection, hematuria, bladder stones, hydronephrosis, and in rare cases acute renal failure (0.1%). Almost 10% of these patients required hospitalization.
“These types of costs generally escape the estimates used in most cost analyses of medical therapy for LUTS/BPH. In this report the investigators accounted for these ‘hidden’ expenses. These additional expenditures need to be addressed by all levels of our health care system as we struggle to contain the high cost of health care,” stated Dr. Kevin McVary, a urologist at the Northwestern Medical Facility Foundation in Chicago.
The authors go on to state “The consequences of the transformation of BPH from a surgical condition to a chronic disease state requiring chronic pharmacotherapy has been the subject of discussion as it might not only affect health care costs but it may also influence outcomes.”
“We congratulate Dr. Roghmann and his colleagues for providing a compelling take on the previously unrecognized costs of BPH management. This study may be another early indication of the longer term effects on both patient outcomes and cost consequences of a disease management strategy built largely on a foundation of chronic medication. We at Urologix continue to support the AUA’s BPH guideline recommendation that complex BPH patients see a urologist that will educate them about all treatment options including our non-surgical in-office therapies,” stated Greg Fluet, Chief Executive Officer of Urologix.
Visit http://www.urologix.com to learn more about BPH and In-Office BPH Therapy as a safe, effective and durable alternative to chronic medication therapy.
Reference: Incidence and treatment patterns in males presenting with lower urinary tract symptoms to the emergency department in the United States, JoUrol, June, 2013, Roghmann, et al http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Incidence+and+treatment+patterns+in+males+presenting+with+lower+urinary+tract+symptoms+to+the+emergency+department+in+the+United+States
About Urologix
Urologix, Inc., based in Minneapolis, develops, manufactures, markets and distributes minimally invasive medical products for the treatment of obstruction and symptoms due to Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). Urologix’s Cooled ThermoTherapy™ produces targeted microwave energy combined with a unique cooling mechanism to protect healthy tissue and enhance patient comfort. The Prostiva® RF Therapy System delivers radio frequency energy directly into the prostate destroying prostate tissue, reducing constriction of the urethra, and thereby relieving BPH symptoms. Both of these therapies provide safe, effective and lasting relief of obstruction and symptoms due to BPH. Prostiva is a registered trademark of Medtronic, Inc., used under license. All other trademarks are the property of Urologix.
Federal USA law restricts these devices to sale by or on the order of a physician. For more complete information about the benefits, risks and contraindications associated with Cooled ThermoTherapy and Prostiva RF Therapy, please refer to the product labeling which accompanies the device and can be found at http://www.urologix.com.
If you would like more information on this topic, please contact Karen Snay at 513-484-2987 or ksnay(at)urologix(dot)com. To learn more about Urologix and its products and services, visit http://www.urologix.com.
The Urologix logo is available at http://www.urologix.com/clinicians/resource-library.php/.
Urologix Media Contact
Karen Snay
(513) 484-2987
Ksnay(at)urologix(dot)com
Urologix Investor Relations Contact
Brian Smrdel
(763) 475-7696
Bsmrdel(at)urologix(dot)com
Karen Snay, http://www.urologix.com, http://www.urologix.com, 5134842987, [email protected]
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