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As social media gains more importance, managers are challenged to quantify its return on sales. The academic understanding in the effectiveness of social media is limited, and in fact the synergistic effects between social media and traditional marketing efforts have rarely been investigated. Despite the dynamics in marketing effectiveness on sales, the time-varying effectiveness of social media has never been studied either. In this study, we capture the time-varying effects of social media and the time-varying synergistic effects of social media and traditional marketing with a time-varying effect model (TVEM) approach. The empirical analyses of a large U.S. ice-cream brand sales reveal that a) the effectiveness of social media and traditional marketing vary over time, b) the synergistic effects vary over time for social media with product sampling and with in-store promotions, c) the proposed TVEM approach has a higher predictive accuracy than the benchmark models, and d) the proposed TVEM approach saves marketing costs by $0.4 million per year, compared to the time-invariant benchmark model. Overall, this study enables managers to not only better understand the synergistic effects of social media marketing and traditional marketing, but also the time-varying effectiveness of their marketing efforts with TVEM approach for better resource allocation., Author(s): V. Kumar [sup.1] , JeeWon Brianna Choi [sup.1] , Mallik Greene [sup.2] Author Affiliations: (1) 0000 0004 1936 7400grid.256304.6Georgia State University, 3348 Peachtree Rd, NE, Suite 204, 30326, Atlanta, [...]

Objective: Patient support programs, such as the ASSURE Program for long-acting injectable aripiprazole, are designed to help support access to medications, including long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics for patients with schizophrenia. This study was conducted to evaluate adherence to long-acting injectable aripiprazole among patients utilizing the program local care centers (LCC).Methods: Data collected from participating LCC between October 2014 and February 2018 were utilized. Characteristics of patients receiving injections at LCC and participating in additional support services of the program, types of program offering utilized and patient cost share for long-acting injectable aripiprazole were described. Adherence, measured as the proportion of days covered (PDC) during follow-up, was estimated in patients utilizing the LCC for 6 months and 9 months. Patients with PDC ≥80% were considered adherent to treatment.Results: Two hundred and thirty-four patients received at least one injection at participating LCC and enrolled in the patient support program. Mean (SD) age was 37.3 (13.5) years; 60.7% were male; 32.5% were covered by Medicare. In total, 157 and 87 patients were actively utilizing the LCC for at least 6 months and 9 months, respectively. PDC of 97% and 98% were reported among patients with 6 months and 9 months of follow-up, respectively, and patients were considered adherent to long-acting injectable aripiprazole during follow-up.Conclusion: Patients utilizing the LCC demonstrated high medication adherence, suggesting that injection services provided by the centers may reduce barriers to treatment and help patients with schizophrenia remain on LAI antipsychotic treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective:To compare all-cause hospitalization and associated costs among patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder (BD) treated with long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs). Methods:The Truven MarketScan Medicaid claims database was used to identify patients with schizophrenia; MarketScan Medicaid and commercial claims databases were used to identify BD. Adult patients with ≥1 LAI claim from January 1, 2013–June 30, 2014 (ID period) were identified. The first day of LAI initiation was the index date; patients were followed for ≥1 year. Logistic and general linear regression models were used to estimate the risk of hospitalization and associated costs. Results:Adjusted analyses showed that, in the schizophrenia cohort, risks of hospitalization were statistically significantly higher in the haloperidol [OR (95% CI) = 1.51 (1.05–2.16); HR (95% CI) = 1.35 (1.05–1.73)] and risperidone [OR (95% CI) = 1.58 (1.07–2.33); HR (95% CI) = 1.33 (1.01–1.74)] cohorts than in the aripiprazole once monthly extended release (AOM 400) cohort. Similarly, in patients with BD, risks of hospitalization were significantly higher in haloperidol [OR (95% CI) = 1.49 (1.01–2.19); HR (95% CI) = 1.33 (1.03–1.73)] and risperidone [OR (95% CI) = 1.78 (1.19–2.66); HR (95% CI) = 1.33 (1.01–1.75)] than in AOM400. No statistically significant differences in hospitalization costs were observed in either disease group. Conclusions:Although the study results may be subject to confounding variables that are not contained in claims databases, such as disease severity, it appears that AOM400 may be more effective than haloperidol and risperidone LAIs among patients with schizophrenia or BD. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This retrospective study assessed the prevalence of moderate to severe chronic kidney disease (CKD) among nursing home (NH) residents with type 2 diabetes. The pattern of oral antidiabetic drug (OAD) use and their concordance with the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) guideline and prescribing information (PI) was also assessed. About half (47%) of diabetic residents had moderate to severe CKD. A little over a quarter of the 186 residents using OADs received at least one NKF-discordant OAD prescription. Metformin was the most commonly misused OAD. PI nonconcordance was observed in 58.6% of residents and was highest in glipizide and metformin users. With the high prevalence of moderate to severe CKD in NH residents with diabetes, physicians should consider residents' renal function when choosing treatment plans and review treatments regularly to check compliance with the NKF guidelines or PIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION:Existing findings on effectiveness of long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs) versus oral antipsychotics in preventing hospitalizations are inconclusive. This study was conducted to compare hospitalization costs between Medicaid patients diagnosed with schizophrenia who initiated a LAI and those who changed from one oral antipsychotic to another.METHODS:This retrospective cohort analysis used the Truven Health Analytics MarketScan® Medicaid claims database to study patients ≥18 years with schizophrenia. The two cohorts were: “LAI”, defined as initiating LAI (no prior LAI therapy) between 1 January 2013 and 30 June 2014; and “oral”, defined as changing from one oral antipsychotic to another during the same period. The first day of LAI or the new oral antipsychotic was the index date. A linear regression model was conducted to estimate hospitalization costs.RESULTS:The final sample included 2,861 (36.7 percent) LAI and 4,926 (63.3 percent) oral users. Compared to oral users, LAI patients were younger (mean (Standard Deviation, SD): 39.9 (13.2) versus 42.7 (13.1); p<.001) and had a lower mean Charlson Comorbidity Index score (mean (SD): 1.1 (1.9) versus 1.7 (2.3); p<.001). Of the 877 LAI initiators and 1,688 oral users who were hospitalized during the 1-year post-index follow-up period, the unadjusted mean hospitalization costs for LAI and oral users were USD32,626 and USD36,048, respectively. After adjusting for patient demographic and clinical characteristics, baseline medication use, and baseline ED or hospitalizations, the adjusted average hospitalization costs were USD1,170 lower in LAI initiators than oral users. None of the unadjusted or adjusted differences were statistically significant.CONCLUSIONS:This real-world study suggests that among hospitalized patients, hospitalization costs are lower in LAI initiators than in oral antipsychotic users, although the difference is not statistically significant. Our study is limited as our results are reflective of a multi-state Medicaid population. Future studies are warranted to confirm the results in non-Medicaid patient populations. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

INTRODUCTION:Existing studies have not investigated the effectiveness of one long-acting injectable antipsychotic (LAI) versus another in preventing hospitalizations among patients with bipolar disorder (BD). This study was conducted to compare all-cause inpatient healthcare utilization and associated costs among BD patients who initiated LAIs.METHODS:This retrospective cohort analysis used the Truven Health Analytics MarketScan® Commercial and Medicaid claims database. Bipolar patients >18 years with at least one claim for one of the following LAIs were identified between 1 January 2013 and 30 June 2014 (identification period): aripiprazole, haloperidol, paliperidone, and risperidone. The first day of initiating an LAI was considered the index date. Logistic regression and generalized linear regression models were conducted to estimate risk of inpatient hospitalization and associated costs during the 1-year follow up.RESULTS:A total of 1,540 BD patients initiated an LAI: 14.5 percent aripiprazole, 16.3 percent risperidone, 21.0 percent haloperidol, and 48.1 percent paliperidone. With the aripiprazole cohort as the reference group, the odds of having any inpatient hospitalizations were significantly higher in haloperidol [Odds Ratio, OR (95 percent Confidence Interval, CI): 1.49 (1.01 - 2.19)] and risperidone [1.78 (1.19 - 2.66)] cohorts. The paliperidone cohort also had a higher risk of having a hospitalization than aripiprazole, but the difference was not statistically significant (p>.05). Among LAI initiators having any inpatient hospitalizations, the adjusted mean all-cause inpatient costs were lowest in the aripiprazole cohort (USD26,002), followed by risperidone (USD27,937), haloperidol (USD30,411), and paliperidone (USD33,240). However, the cost difference was not statistically significant.CONCLUSIONS:Our study findings highlight the value of aripiprazole in reducing all-cause inpatient hospitalizations and associated costs among patients with BD during the 1-year follow-up. It is worthwhile to note that bipolar diagnoses were identified from healthcare claims coded for reimbursement purposes, thus misclassification was possible. Future studies are warranted to understand the impact of LAI use in a longer period of time. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

INTRODUCTION:Existing evidence on clinical and economic effectiveness of one long-acting injectable antipsychotic (LAI) versus another in successful management of schizophrenia is scarce. The study was conducted to compare all-cause inpatient healthcare utilization and associated costs among Medicaid patients with schizophrenia who initiated LAIs.METHODS:This retrospective cohort analysis used the Truven Health Analytics MarketScan® Medicaid claims database. Schizophrenia patients >18 years with at least one claim for one of the following LAI were identified between 1 January 2013 and 30 June 2014 (identification period): aripiprazole, fluphenazine, haloperidol, paliperidone palmitate, and risperidone. The first day of initiating an LAI was considered the index date. Patients were followed for 1 year from index date. Logistic and general linear regression models were used to estimate risk of inpatient hospitalization and associated costs during follow up.RESULTS:Of the identified Medicaid patients with schizophrenia, 1,672 (36.7 percent) initiated an LAI: 44.0 percent received paliperidone, 26.4 percent haloperidol, 13.8 percent risperidone, 9.2 percent aripiprazole, and 6.6 percent fluphenazine. With the aripiprazole cohort as the reference group, the odds of having any inpatient hospitalizations were significantly higher in haloperidol [Odds Ratio, OR (95 percent Confidence Interval, CI): 1.51 (1.05 - 2.16)] and risperidone [OR (95 percent CI): 1.58 (1.07 - 2.33)] cohorts. Fluphenazine and paliperidone palmitate cohorts also had higher risk of having any inpatient hospitalizations compared with aripiprazole, but the differences were not statistically significant (p>.05). Among LAI initiators with any inpatient hospitalizations, the adjusted mean inpatient costs were lowest in the aripiprazole cohort (USD25,616), followed by haloperidol (USD30,811), paliperidone (USD30,833), risperidone (USD31,584), and fluphenazine (USD37,338), although differences were not statistically significant.CONCLUSIONS:Our study findings highlight the value of aripiprazole in reducing inpatient hospitalizations and associated costs among patients with schizophrenia. However, our study is limited as our results are reflective of a multi-state Medicaid population. Future studies are warranted to confirm the results in non-Medicaid patient populations. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]