Cost of treating acute myocardial infarction in an Irish teaching hospital.

Recent figures indicate that there are approximately 6,500 patients admitted to hospital following acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in Ireland each year. As hospital admission is frequently the most expensive component of healthcare we determined the costs associated with treatment of AMI in a teaching hospital. The costing evaluation was from the hospital perspective and the strategy used was a micro-costing detailed collection of resources used. The average cost of hospital admission for the treatment of AMI was Pound Sterling 3,976. The average cost per day was calculated at Pound Sterling 501. Approximately 50% of hospital costs were associated with ward costs. Procedures accounted for 35% of costs whereas medications contributed just 7% of total costs.