Did the cost-effectiveness analysis consider all relevant patient groups, management options and possible outcomes?
In order for a cost-effectiveness analysis to be applicable to the clinical decision making process it must accurately consider all relevant patient groups, management options and outcomes. Patient characteristics such as age, gender, worker status and co-morbidities can often affect a patients clinical outcomes as well as the economic impact on the patient and society. In order to describe all therapeutic options available, information should be provided on the different study options as well as other relevant therapeutic options such as medications, surgical procedures or watchful waiting. [2] Without considering all relevant management options, any decision plan will be incomplete. Additionally, if all possible outcomes are not considered, often the full clinical and economic impact may be missed. Bozic et al. , based their analysis on a population of males who were 50 years of age with advanced osteoarthritis of the hip, who were candidates for total hip arthroplasty. [8] This seem
