Fig. 2

Cost-effectiveness of emergency primary care versus standard hospital management. The graph illustrates the difference in health on the x-axis and in costs on the y-axis. The lines through the graph indicate the suggested minimum and maximum cost-effectiveness thresholds (cited to be between EUR 25,600 and EUR 76,900 per QALY) for Norway [35]. The health lost due to missed AMIs at the primary care level will be bigger than the health gained by less waiting in hospital, as indicated by the negative health on the graph. Still, with a difference of EUR -1672 or -1794 per patient, the estimated QALY is well below the current assumed threshold for cost-effectiveness in Norway, implying that the primary care approach is cost-effective. OAEOC: Oslo Accident and Emergency Outpatient Clinic; QALY: quality-adjusted life years