Hospitalization costs and their determining factors among patients undergoing kidney transplantation: a cross-sectional descriptive study

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Cost evaluation is a key tool in monitoring expenditure for budget management. It increases the efficiency of possible changes through identifying potential savings and estimating the resources required to make such changes. However, there is a lack of knowledge of the total cost of hospitalization up to the clinical outcome, regarding patients admitted for kidney transplantation. Likewise, there is a lack of data on the factors that influence the amounts spent by hospital institutions and healthcare systems. OBJECTIVES: To describe the costs and determining factors relating to hospitalization of patients undergoing kidney transplantation. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional descriptive study with a quantitative approach based on secondary data from 81 patients who were admitted for kidney transplantation at a leading transplantation center in southern Brazil. METHODS: The direct costs of healthcare for patients who underwent kidney transplantation were the dependent variable, and included personnel, expenses, third-party services, materials and medicines. The factors that interfered in the cost of the procedure were indirect variables. The items that made up these variables were gathered from the records of the internal transplantation committee and from the electronic medical records. The billing sector provided information on the direct costs per patient. RESULTS: The estimated total cost of patients' hospitalization was R$ 1,257,639.11 (US$ 571,010.44). Out of this amount, R$ 1,237,338.31 (US$ 561,793.20) was paid by the Brazilian National Health System and R$ 20,300.80 (US$ 9,217.24) by the transplantation center's own resources. The highest costs related to the length of hospital stay and clinical complications such as sepsis and pneumonia. CONCLUSIONS: The costs of hospitalization for kidney transplantation relate to the length of hospital stay and clinical complications.

Sepsis in a university hospital: a prospective study for the cost analysis of patients' hospitalization / Sepsis en un hospital universitario: estudio prospectivo para análisis de costo de la hospitalización de pacientes / Sepse em um hospital universitário: estudo prospectivo para análise de custo da hospitalização de pacientes

Abstract OBJECTIVE To estimate the cost of hospitalization of patients with severe sepsis or septic shock admitted or diagnosed in the Urgent and Emergency sector at a university hospital and followed until the clinical outcome. METHOD An epidemiological, prospective, observational study conducted in a public hospital in southern Brazil for the period of one year (August 2013 to August 2014). Sepsis notification forms, medical records and data of the cost sector were used for the collection of clinical and epidemiological data. RESULTS The sample comprised 95 patients, resulting in a total high cost of hospitalization (R$ 3,692,421.00), and an average of R$ 38,867.60 per patient. Over half of the total value of the treatment of sepsis (R$ 2,215,773.50) was assigned to patients who progressed to death (59.0%). The higher costs were related to discharge, diagnosis of severe sepsis, the pulmonary focus of infection and the age group of up to 59 years. CONCLUSION The high cost of the treatment of sepsis justifies investments in training actions and institution of protocols that can direct preventive actions, and optimize diagnosis and treatment in infected and septic patients.

Resumen OBJETIVO Estimar el costo de la estancia hospitalaria de pacientes con sepsis severa o choque séptico ingresados o diagnosticados en el sector de Urgencias y Emergencias de un hospital universitario y seguidos hasta el resultado clínico. MÉTODO Estudio epidemiológico, prospectivo y observacional, realizado en un hospital público del sur de Brasil, en el período de 1 año (agosto de 2013 a agosto de 2014). La recolección de los datos clínico-epidemiológicos utilizó fichas de notificación de sepsis, fichas clínicas y datos del sector de costos. Se llevó a cabo análisis de tendencia central, dispersión y cuartiles de los costos de las hospitalizaciones. RESULTADOS Muestra compuesta de 95 pacientes que totalizaron elevado costo de la hospitalización (R$ 3.692.421,00), con promedio de R$ 38.867,60 por paciente. Más de la mitad del valor total del tratamiento de la sepsis (R$ 2.215.773,50) se destinó a pacientes que llegaron a fallecer (59,0%). Los mayores costos estuvieron relacionados con el alta, el diagnóstico de sepsis severa, el foco infeccioso pulmonar y el rango de edad hasta los 59 años. CONCLUSIÓN El elevado costo con el tratamiento de la sepsis justifican inversiones en acciones de capacitación e institución de protocolos que puedan orientar acciones preventivas, optimizar el diagnóstico y la terapéutica en pacientes infectados y sépticos.

Resumo OBJETIVO Estimar o custo da internação de pacientes com sepse grave ou choque séptico admitidos ou diagnosticados no setor de Urgências e Emergências de um hospital universitário e seguidos até o desfecho clínico. MÉTODO Estudo epidemiológico, prospectivo e observacional, realizado em um hospital público do sul do Brasil, no período de 1 ano (agosto de 2013 a agosto de 2014). A coleta dos dados clínico-epidemiológicos utilizou fichas de notificação de sepse, prontuários e dados do setor de custos. Foi realizada análise de tendência central, dispersão e quartis dos custos das internações. RESULTADOS Amostra composta por 95 pacientes que totalizaram elevado custo da internação (R$ 3.692.421,00), com média de R$ 38.867,60 por paciente. Mais da metade do valor total do tratamento da sepse (R$ 2.215.773,50) destinou-se a pacientes que evoluíram a óbito (59,0%). Os maiores custos foram relacionados à alta, ao diagnóstico de sepse grave, ao foco infeccioso pulmonar e à faixa etária até os 59 anos. CONCLUSÃO O elevado custo com o tratamento da sepse justificam investimentos em ações de capacitação e instituição de protocolos que possam direcionar ações preventivas, otimizar o diagnóstico e a terapêutica em pacientes infectados e séptico.

Estudio retrospectivo de costos de tratamientos intensivos por paciente y día cama / Calculation of costs per inpatient day in an intensive care unit

Background: Intensive medicine is especially expensive and requires an efficient management. Aim: To measure the real costs of diseases treated in an intensive care unit and compare them with the costs assigned by the Chilean National Health Fund (FONASA) for 2008. Material and Methods: Retrospective review of 225 patients, representing 82 percent of discharges from an intensive care unit during 2008. Patients were classified according to their medical conditions as having sepsis, trauma, cardiovascular, respiratory or neurological diseases. Costs were calculated using the cost per activity system. Results: Trauma, sepsis and cardiovascular diseases had the greatest cost per inpatient day, corresponding to 294,779; 253,513 and 244,713 Chilean pesos, respectively. Seventy percent of costs correspond to human resources followed by complementary examinations, that represent up to 15 percent of costs. Patients with sepsis and cardiovascular diseases absorbed 28 and 26 percent of intensive care unit resources, respectively. Patients who died with these diseases absorbed 35 and 16 percent of resources, respectively. Conclusions: All diseases studied had significantly higher costs than those assigned by the National Health Fund.