Objective: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of telephone intervention for patients with osteoarthritis.
Methods: Randomized, controlled trial.
Results: The intervention did not significantly increase health care costs. The annual costs for a 1-unit improvement in physical functioning and in pain, as measured by the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales, were $70.86 and $31.00, respectively.
Conclusion: Telephone contact is a potentially cost-effective intervention in osteoarthritis.