D J Shulkin1, P J Brennan. 1. Office of Clinical Outcome Assessment and Quality Management, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia 19104, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: An economic analysis was conducted for all patients with a primary diagnosis of tuberculosis admitted to a university hospital for a 1-year period in 1992. DESIGN: The economic analysis was conducted by using the hospital billing system to capture resource use for patients with tuberculosis and cost-to-charge ratios to estimate hospital costs. SETTING: A university teaching hospital. PATIENTS: Patients with a primary diagnosis of tuberculosis were included in the study. RESULTS: The average length of stay for patients was 22.7 days on initial admission to the hospital and 13.5 days on readmission. The average cost of care was $27,109 for initial admission, $13,094 for readmission, and $20,222 when all patients were included. CONCLUSION: Room costs were the most significant contributor to the total cost of care, followed by laboratory costs and ancillary hospital costs. We calculate the average cost for caring for a patient with tuberculosis at approximately $20,000 per year.
OBJECTIVE: An economic analysis was conducted for all patients with a primary diagnosis of tuberculosis admitted to a university hospital for a 1-year period in 1992. DESIGN: The economic analysis was conducted by using the hospital billing system to capture resource use for patients with tuberculosis and cost-to-charge ratios to estimate hospital costs. SETTING: A university teaching hospital. PATIENTS: Patients with a primary diagnosis of tuberculosis were included in the study. RESULTS: The average length of stay for patients was 22.7 days on initial admission to the hospital and 13.5 days on readmission. The average cost of care was $27,109 for initial admission, $13,094 for readmission, and $20,222 when all patients were included. CONCLUSION: Room costs were the most significant contributor to the total cost of care, followed by laboratory costs and ancillary hospital costs. We calculate the average cost for caring for a patient with tuberculosis at approximately $20,000 per year.