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Cost of treating heart failure in an Irish teaching hospital
1National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics, St James's Hospital, James's Street, Dublin 8.
Insights
The average cost of a heart failure hospital admission in Ireland was over 2,000 Pounds, with most expenses on ward care. This data is crucial for evaluating treatment cost-effectiveness in the Irish healthcare system.
Area of Science:
- Health Economics
- Cardiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Heart failure affects 3-20 per 1,000 people, rising to over 100 per 1,000 in those over 65.
- Heart failure management consumes 1-2% of total healthcare budgets.
- Hospital costs represent approximately 70% of heart failure expenditure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the specific cost of treating heart failure (HF) in an Irish teaching hospital.
- To provide essential Irish cost data for future economic evaluations.
Main Methods:
- A microcosting approach was employed for detailed resource utilization.
- Cost evaluation was conducted from the hospital's financial perspective.
Main Results:
- The average cost per hospital admission for heart failure was IR 2,146 Pounds.
- The average daily cost of care was IR 193 Pounds.
- Ward costs constituted approximately 75% of total hospital expenses, with medications accounting for 3.5%.
Conclusions:
- Accurate Irish cost data is vital for assessing the cost-effectiveness of heart failure interventions.
- This study provides foundational economic data for the Irish healthcare system regarding heart failure management.
Background:
The prevalence of heart failure is 3 to 20 per 1,000 population, but may exceed 100 per 1,000 in the over 65 age group. Some 1-2% of the total healthcare budget is consumed in the management of heart failure.
Aim:
As hospital costs account for approximately 70% of this expenditure we determined the cost of treating heart failure in an Irish teaching hospital.
Methods:
Cost evaluation was from the hospital perspective using a microcosting detailed collection of resources used.
Results:
The average cost of a hospital admission for cardiac failure was IR 2,146 Pounds. The average cost per day was IR 193 Pounds. Approximately 75% of hospital costs were associated with ward costs. Medications accounted for 3.5% of total costs.
Conclusion:
The availability of Irish cost data is essential for the assessment of the cost-effectiveness of therapeutic interventions for the treatment of heart failure in our healthcare system.