BACKGROUND: Little is known about the economic impact of diabetic foot ulceration in the Irish healthcare setting. AIM: Audit of diabetic foot ulcer admissions in St James's Hospital between April 2001 and March 2002. METHODS: Hospital charts were reviewed and costs were calculated on the length of patients' hospital stay and the cost of individual investigations performed. RESULTS: Thirty patients were admitted with diabetic foot ulceration as the primary complaint. Amputation was performed in eight patients, two patients with a non-healing ulcer died. The average duration of each hospital admission was 20.3+/-30.7 days. Net in-hospital expenditure was 704,689, an average of 23,489.63 per hospital admission. CONCLUSIONS: The management of diabetic foot ulceration has a significant economic impact on the Irish healthcare budget. Treatment should therefore be focused on primary prevention through specialised foot clinics and a multidisciplinary team approach to reduce this economic burden.
BACKGROUND: Little is known about the economic impact of diabetic foot ulceration in the Irish healthcare setting. AIM: Audit of diabetic foot ulcer admissions in St James's Hospital between April 2001 and March 2002. METHODS: Hospital charts were reviewed and costs were calculated on the length of patients' hospital stay and the cost of individual investigations performed. RESULTS: Thirty patients were admitted with diabetic foot ulceration as the primary complaint. Amputation was performed in eight patients, two patients with a non-healing ulcer died. The average duration of each hospital admission was 20.3+/-30.7 days. Net in-hospital expenditure was 704,689, an average of 23,489.63 per hospital admission. CONCLUSIONS: The management of diabetic foot ulceration has a significant economic impact on the Irish healthcare budget. Treatment should therefore be focused on primary prevention through specialised foot clinics and a multidisciplinary team approach to reduce this economic burden.
Authors: K Van Acker; M Oleen-Burkey; L De Decker; R Vanmaele; P Van Schil; G Matricali; H Dys; I De Leeuw Journal: Diabetes Res Clin Pract Date: 2000-10 Impact factor: 5.602
Authors: G E Reiber; L Vileikyte; E J Boyko; M del Aguila; D G Smith; L A Lavery; A J Boulton Journal: Diabetes Care Date: 1999-01 Impact factor: 19.112
Authors: L Prompers; M Huijberts; N Schaper; J Apelqvist; K Bakker; M Edmonds; P Holstein; E Jude; A Jirkovska; D Mauricio; A Piaggesi; H Reike; M Spraul; K Van Acker; S Van Baal; F Van Merode; L Uccioli; V Urbancic; G Ragnarson Tennvall Journal: Diabetologia Date: 2008-07-22 Impact factor: 10.122