The unemployment rates among people being treated for substance use disorder (SUD) are high, with Norwegian estimates ranging from 81 to 89 percent. A promising method for improving vocational outcome is Individual Placement and Support (IPS), where employment support is integrated into the treatment regimen. However, the expense and economic gain are covered by different societal sectors, which may be a disincentive for implementing this method. Thus, the aim of this study was to model the potential socioeconomic value of a new SUD treatment service.

For the simulation study, we made qualified assumptions about costs and socioeconomic gain based on data from scientific and administrative publications, expert opinion, and a randomized controlled trial of treatments for individuals with SUD that was set in a specialized Norwegian healthcare setting. We made assumptions about the proportion of patients likely to obtain employment after participating in the following three interventions: (i) treatment as usual; (ii) a self-help guide and additional workshop; and (iii) IPS.

Based on early socioeconomic simulation modeling for the three interventions, IPS was found to be cost effective over a period of one to two years.

In this study we used early economic modeling to demonstrate the potential value of IPS for increasing employment rates among patients with SUD. Since it is important to secure evaluative support for an innovation at the earliest possible stage, early economic modeling may assist the innovator in implementing a health service that meets predefined user needs while also reducing associated risks. Although there is much uncertainty in such early stages due to a lack of valid data sources, early economic modeling may provide health authorities with much needed decision support when planning for future health services.