Costs of implementing a caregiver mental health program in a pediatric academic medical center: a budget impact analysis

Objective Relatively few published guidelines on models of care to address the mental health needs of caregivers of patients with chronic illnesses exist. The purpose of this article is to conduct a budget impact analysis to estimate the costs associated with the implementation of a Caregiver Mental Health Program (CMHP) within the pediatric oncology and bone marrow transplant divisions at an academic medical center. Methods Psychology labor costs were calculated for individuals involved in the delivery of the CMHP (4 licensed psychologists, 1 postdoctoral fellow) over a 1-year period. Caregiver and patient demographic and clinical data were extracted from the electronic medical record. A cost calculator was used to estimate labor costs associated with program operation. Results Providers dedicated 629.23 hours to delivering the CMHP for a total of 60 caregivers during the 1-year study period. The most time was spent in session (66% of total hours), followed by supporting activities (21%), and documentation (13%). Total costs associated with the CMHP were estimated to be $51,395.35 across the five providers. Conclusions This budget impact analysis is an important step in equipping relevant parties with information to estimate the financial consequences of the implementation of a CMHP. Limitations include the single-site nature of the study and the lack of information on other financial costs (e.g., start-up, administrative support). Future studies expanding this analysis to support the incorporation of billing/revenue data and caregiver outcomes will provide increased insight into the economic implications of CMHP service lines in pediatric academic medical centers.