AIMS: To measure accurately the direct costs of managing urinary and faecal incontinence in the sub-acute care setting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prospective observational study was undertaken in two sub-acute care units in a metropolitan hospital. A consecutive series of 29 consecutive patients with urinary and/or faecal incontinence, who were in-patients in a geriatric rehabilitation or sub-acute neurologic unit underwent routine timed voiding protocol, as per usual care. Face-to-face bedside recordings of all incontinence care, with detailed cost analysis, were undertaken. RESULTS: A total of 3,621 occasions of continence care were costed. The median time per 24 hr spent caring for incontinence per patient was 109 min (interquartile range 88-140). Isolated urinary incontinence episodes occurred in 28 patients (96.5%), mixed urinary/faecal incontinence episodes observed in 79.3%, and episodes of pure faecal incontinence were seen in 62%. The median costs of incontinence care in the sub-acute setting was $49AU per 24 hr, the major share ($41) spent on staff wages. The incontinence tasks of toileting assistance, pad changes, bed changes and catheter care were spread evenly across the three 8 hr shifts of duty. CONCLUSIONS: As our population demographics include an increasingly greater portion of the elderly, for whom long term institutional care is becoming relatively more scarce, provision of care in the sub-acute unit that may allow rehabilitation and return to home warrants scrutiny. This is the first study that delineates the costs of managing urinary and faecal incontinence in the sub-acute care setting. Such costs are substantial and place a heavy burden upon night-time carers.
AIMS: To measure accurately the direct costs of managing urinary and faecal incontinence in the sub-acute care setting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prospective observational study was undertaken in two sub-acute care units in a metropolitan hospital. A consecutive series of 29 consecutive patients with urinary and/or faecal incontinence, who were in-patients in a geriatric rehabilitation or sub-acute neurologic unit underwent routine timed voiding protocol, as per usual care. Face-to-face bedside recordings of all incontinence care, with detailed cost analysis, were undertaken. RESULTS: A total of 3,621 occasions of continence care were costed. The median time per 24 hr spent caring for incontinence per patient was 109 min (interquartile range 88-140). Isolated urinary incontinence episodes occurred in 28 patients (96.5%), mixed urinary/faecal incontinence episodes observed in 79.3%, and episodes of pure faecal incontinence were seen in 62%. The median costs of incontinence care in the sub-acute setting was $49AU per 24 hr, the major share ($41) spent on staff wages. The incontinence tasks of toileting assistance, pad changes, bed changes and catheter care were spread evenly across the three 8 hr shifts of duty. CONCLUSIONS: As our population demographics include an increasingly greater portion of the elderly, for whom long term institutional care is becoming relatively more scarce, provision of care in the sub-acute unit that may allow rehabilitation and return to home warrants scrutiny. This is the first study that delineates the costs of managing urinary and faecal incontinence in the sub-acute care setting. Such costs are substantial and place a heavy burden upon night-time carers.
Authors: Gena C Dunivan; Steve Heymen; Olafur S Palsson; Michael von Korff; Marsha J Turner; Jennifer L Melville; William E Whitehead Journal: Am J Obstet Gynecol Date: 2010-03-12 Impact factor: 8.661
Authors: Crisanta I Tapia; Kristin Khalaf; Karina Berenson; Denise Globe; Michael Chancellor; Lesley K Carr Journal: Health Qual Life Outcomes Date: 2013-01-31 Impact factor: 3.186