Cost-effectiveness in Clostridium difficile treatment decision-making

Table 3 Similarities and differences between a patient-based and population based cost-effectiveness model

Patient-based cost-effectiveness model	Population-based cost-effectiveness model
Similarities
Patient-related therapeutic and economic measures for clinical and economic evaluations
Differences
	The relevant economic issues, as indicated for CDI like:
	increasing incidence of CDI,
	person-to person transmission of CDI,
	development of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE),
	or other antibiotic induced resistant bacteria,
	impact for department of microbiology diagnostic testing
	isolation measures and
	closing of wards of hospitals
	other supra-patient effects
Limited health economic outcome in terms of time horizon and perspective
The patient-based cost-effectiveness model only captures the short-term time horizon of the CDI episode within the hospital setting at a patient level