Approach to assessing the economic impact of insulin-related hypoglycaemia using the novel Local Impact of Hypoglycaemia Tool

Aim To provide estimates of the costs of severe and non‐severe insulin‐related hypoglycaemia in the UK using the Local Impact of Hypoglycaemia Tool. Methods Rates of hypoglycaemia were extracted from the UK Hypoglycaemia Study Group observational study. The costs of severe and non‐severe hypoglycaemic episodes in insulin‐treated adults with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes were estimated from UK data sources. The rates and costs were then applied to specific populations to give an estimate of the cost of insulin‐related hypoglycaemia for the UK, a specific locality, or a user‐defined population. User‐specific rates and costs could also be applied. Results The estimated cost of a hypoglycaemic episode can range from as much as £2,152 for severe episodes (for which the patient is admitted to hospital) to as little as £1.67 for non‐severe episodes. With a UK population of 64.1 million, the total estimated cost of managing insulin‐related hypoglycaemia is £468.0 m per year (£295.9 m for severe episodes, £172.1 m for non‐severe episodes). On a local health economy level, using a hypothetical general population of 100 000, the total cost of managing insulin‐related hypoglycaemia is estimated to be £730,052 per year (£461,658 for severe and £268,394 for non‐severe episodes). Conclusions The Local Impact of Hypoglycaemia Tool highlights the economic burden of insulin‐related hypoglycaemia. Non‐severe episodes are often overlooked because of their low individual cost, but their high frequency makes the cumulative cost substantial. The Local Impact of Hypoglycaemia Tool also shows clinicians and budget‐holders the economic impact of lower rates of hypoglycaemia. What's new? The combination of published research and data from multiple UK sources has led to the development of a novel model to identify the economic burden of insulin‐related hypoglycaemia in the UK and offers an opportunity for its better management in the future. This is the first example of an innovative model allowing the user to estimate the cost of insulin‐related hypoglycaemia not only on a national level, but also within any specific locality in the UK, whether it is a Primary Care Organization, a general practice or a user‐defined population.