Healthcare resource utilization and associated costs during the first 5 years after diagnosis and at the end of life: A nationwide cohort study of patients with multiple myeloma in Finland

As the population ages, the need for care and expected costs of treating multiple myeloma (MM) are expected to increase. To determine health care resource utilization (HCRU), patterns of service use and associated costs among Finnish patients with MM during the first 5 years from their first diagnosis and at end of life, data on all-cause and MM-specific HCRU (including inpatient stays, outpatient visits and contacts, emergency care visits and home care) were obtained and analyzed. Researchers found that MM is primarily treated in the specialized care setting (60%), with outpatient medication and visits to specialized care being the main cost drivers.