Paddy Gillespie1, Laura Carter1, Caroline McIntosh2,3, Georgina Gethin2,4,5. 1. School of Business and Economics, National University of Ireland (NUI) Galway, Galway, Ireland. 2. Alliance for Research and Innovation in Wounds, NUI Galway, Galway, Ireland. 3. Discipline of Podiatric Medicine, NUI Galway, Galway, Ireland. 4. School of Nursing and Midwifery, NUI Galway, Galway, Ireland. 5. School of Nursing and Midwifery, Monash University, Australia.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To estimate the cost of wound care to the Irish health-care system. METHODS: A bottom-up, prevalence-based analysis was undertaken using a decision analytic model to estimate costs. Health-care resource activity was identified from a recently published study from the UK and was valued using unit cost data for Ireland. RESULTS: The base case analysis estimated the total annual healthcare cost of wound care to be €629,064,198 (95% Confidence interval (CI): €452,673,358 to €844,087,124), accounting for 5% (95% CI: 3% to 6%) of total public health expenditure in Ireland in 2013. The average cost per patient was €3,941 (95% CI: €2,836 to €5,287). However, this study is subject to many limitations and plausible changes in the model's inputs showed that the total annual health-care cost of wound care could range from €281,438,970 to €844,316,912. CONCLUSION: Caring for wounds places a substantial burden on the Irish health-care system. In light of growing pressures to finance an already resource-constrained health-care system, these results provide useful information for those charged with future wound care service design and provision in Ireland and elsewhere.
OBJECTIVE: To estimate the cost of wound care to the Irish health-care system. METHODS: A bottom-up, prevalence-based analysis was undertaken using a decision analytic model to estimate costs. Health-care resource activity was identified from a recently published study from the UK and was valued using unit cost data for Ireland. RESULTS: The base case analysis estimated the total annual healthcare cost of wound care to be €629,064,198 (95% Confidence interval (CI): €452,673,358 to €844,087,124), accounting for 5% (95% CI: 3% to 6%) of total public health expenditure in Ireland in 2013. The average cost per patient was €3,941 (95% CI: €2,836 to €5,287). However, this study is subject to many limitations and plausible changes in the model's inputs showed that the total annual health-care cost of wound care could range from €281,438,970 to €844,316,912. CONCLUSION: Caring for wounds places a substantial burden on the Irish health-care system. In light of growing pressures to finance an already resource-constrained health-care system, these results provide useful information for those charged with future wound care service design and provision in Ireland and elsewhere.
Entities:
Keywords:
Ireland; cost analysis; cost-effective; prevalence; wound care
Authors: Zena E H Moore; Georgina E Aynge; Caryn G Carr; Aundrea J Horton; Hayley A Jones; Nina S Murphy; Matthew R Payne; Catherine H McCarthy; Julie M Murdoch Journal: Int Wound J Date: 2022-07-06 Impact factor: 3.099