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Impact of Vaccination on Cost and Course of Hospitalization Associated with COVID-19 Infection
Selina T Somani1, Rachelle L Firestone1, Monica A Donnelley1
1Department of Pharmacy, University of California Davis Health, Sacramento, California.
Insights
COVID-19 vaccination significantly reduces hospitalization costs and length of stay. Vaccinated patients had lower ICU admission rates and healthcare expenses compared to unvaccinated individuals.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Health Economics
- Public Health
Background:
- COVID-19 vaccination is crucial for mitigating disease severity and healthcare burden.
- Understanding the economic impact of vaccination status on hospitalized patients is essential for resource allocation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of COVID-19 vaccination status on hospital costs and patient outcomes.
- To compare the length of stay, ICU admission rates, and hospitalization expenses between vaccinated and unvaccinated patients admitted with COVID-19.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort study of 437 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 between April 2021 and January 2022.
- Analysis included vaccinated and unvaccinated adult patients, comparing length of stay, ICU admission, need for ventilation, and hospitalization costs.
- Statistical adjustments were made for age and comorbidities to determine the net effect of vaccination status.
Main Results:
- Vaccinated patients had a significantly shorter average length of stay (6.47 days vs. 8.92 days) and a 70.6% lower risk of ICU admission.
- Adjusted hospitalization costs were 26% lower for vaccinated patients, despite unadjusted costs not being statistically significant.
- Unvaccinated patients incurred higher daily hospitalization costs and were more likely to require high-flow oxygen or mechanical ventilation.
Conclusions:
- COVID-19 vaccination is associated with improved patient outcomes, including shorter hospital stays and reduced ICU admissions.
- Vaccination leads to significant cost savings in hospitalization, particularly after accounting for patient age and comorbidities.
- Public health strategies should emphasize vaccination to reduce the economic and clinical burden of COVID-19 hospitalizations.
Objective:
Examine the impact of vaccination status on hospital cost and course for patients admitted with COVID-19 infection.
Design:
Retrospective cohort study characterizing vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals hospitalized for COVID-19 between April 2021 to January 2022.
Setting:
Large academic medical center.
Methods:
Patients were included if they were greater than 18 years old, fully vaccinated or unvaccinated against COVID-19, and admitted for COVID-19 infection.
Patients:
437 consecutively admitted patients for COVID-19 infection met inclusion criteria. Of these, 79 were excluded for unknown or partial vaccination status, transfer from an outside hospital, or multiple COVID-19 related admissions.
Results:
Overall, 279 (77.9%) unvaccinated patients compared to 79 (22.1%) vaccinated patients were hospitalized with a diagnosis of COVID-19. Average length of stay was significantly lower in the vaccinated group (6.47 days versus 8.92 days, P = 0.03). Vaccinated patients experienced a 70.6% lower risk of ICU admission (OR = 0.29, 95% CI 0.12-0.71, P = 0.006). The unadjusted cost of hospitalization was not found to be statistically significant ($119,630 versus $191,146, P = 0.06). After adjusting for age and comorbidities, vaccinated patients experienced a 26% lower cost of hospitalization compared to unvaccinated patients (P = 0.004). Unvaccinated patients incurred a significantly higher cost of hospitalization per day ($29,425 vs $13,845 P < 0.0001). Unvaccinated patients (n = 118, 42.9%) were more likely than vaccinated patients (n = 16, 20.3%) to require high-flow oxygen or mechanical ventilation (OR = 2.95, 95% CI 1.62-5.38, P = 0.0004).
Conclusion:
Vaccinated patients experienced a lower cost of hospitalization after adjusting for age and comorbidities and shorter length of stay compared to unvaccinated patients admitted for COVID-19.
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