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Emergency room encounters of pediatric patients with asthma: cost comparisons with other treatment settings
J A Coventry1, M S Weston, P M Collins
1Systems Research and Applications Corp., San Antonio, TX, USA.
Insights
Pediatric asthma treatment in emergency rooms costs over five times more than in physician offices. Improved primary care education can reduce emergency visits and associated costs for childhood asthma management.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric healthcare economics
- Respiratory disease management
- Healthcare access and cost analysis
Background:
- Asthma is a common chronic respiratory disease in children.
- Inadequate management and education can lead to severe asthma exacerbations.
- Healthcare utilization patterns for pediatric asthma vary significantly by setting.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the costs of treating pediatric asthma patients across different healthcare settings.
- To identify factors contributing to higher treatment costs.
- To evaluate the potential impact of improved primary care education on healthcare resource utilization.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of over 67,000 claims from a national database.
- Comparison of billed charges and paid claims for asthma treatment.
- Categorization of treatment settings: physician offices, hospital outpatient departments, and emergency rooms.
Main Results:
- Emergency room treatment for pediatric asthma was, on average, more than five times higher in billed charges and paid claims compared to physician offices.
- Higher costs in emergency rooms suggest a failure in primary care management and patient education.
- Pediatric asthma exacerbations requiring emergency care represent a significant financial burden.
Conclusions:
- Enhanced educational programs for pediatric asthma patients and their families in primary care settings can lead to significant cost savings.
- Improving asthma management and education in the community can reduce emergency room visits, thereby decreasing healthcare expenditures.
- Investing in patient education is crucial for optimizing resource allocation and improving patient outcomes in pediatric asthma care.
Abstract:
More than 67,000 claims from a national database were analyzed to determine the relative costs of treating pediatric patients with asthma in physicians' offices, hospital outpatient departments, or emergency rooms. Billed charges and paid claims for these cases in emergency rooms average more than 5 times higher than in physician offices. Emergency treatment generally results from a failure of proper management and education in the primary care setting. Educational programs for pediatric patients with asthma and their families could save resources as well as reduce the trauma often associated with visits to the emergency room.