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ECHO

ECHO

The Economic and Health Outcomes (ECHO) model is a stochastic, micro-simulation (patient-level) model, suitable for estimating long-term cost-effectiveness of the treatment of T1DM and T2DM. The ECHO model is designed as “multi-application” model and is extremely flexible with relatively few of the many parameters are hard-coded (i.e., most inputs are modifiable by the user), allowing users to tailor the application to the study question. The models can be used to support both early-stage decision making, market access, value story dissemination, as well as post-marketing evidence needs and analyses of long-term cost and health implications of public health issues. The physiology of diabetes is captured using Markov health states for micro- and macrovascular complications and death, and the model operates in annual cycles across a user-defined time horizon.

Key features 

Model design

  • Separate models for type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. ECHO-T2DM supports analysis of obesity and pre-diabetes interventions as well
  • Microsimulation model with health states comprising key micro- and macrovascular complications in diabetes
  • Flexible treatment sequence that permits modelling of a wide range of treatment profiles
  • Supports comparison of multiple treatments in a single analysis
  • Continuously developed and updated
  • Extremely flexible with few hard-coded inputs to increase capabilities of capturing range of study questions

 Practical use and accessibility

  • Programmed in R with Excel® front- and back-end interfaces for to enhance user-friendliness
  • Flexible design and model inputs, supporting range of analysis
  • The ECHO models are sophisticated tools with a larger number of input parameters. It can be licensed to skilled clients who want to conduct their own analyses, but we recommend that analysis be performed by the IHE Diabetes Team 

Validated and accepted

  • Externally validated in different country settings
  • Widely accepted for use in cost-effectiveness evaluations and reimbursement applications by a range of HTA authorities (e.g. in UK, Sweden, Scotland, Ireland, Canada, and Australia)
  • Participated in the biannual Mount Hood Diabetes Challenge since 2010  

Schematic Diagram of ECHO-T2DM

For more information and queries, please contact Michael Willis