How to cost and fund an infection control programme

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Infectious Disease Epidemiology
• Health Economics

Background:

• Infection control (IC) services in the UK are integrated within microbiology services, lacking separate cost analysis.
• This integration has historically prevented a clear understanding of IC's financial impact.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the costs associated with providing infection control services.
• To quantify the savings generated by implementing hospital IC policies.
• To determine the financial burden of infectious episodes and outbreaks.

Main Methods:

• The study involves a comprehensive cost analysis of IC services.
• It evaluates the financial benefits derived from established IC protocols.
• It assesses the economic impact of managing infections and outbreaks.

Main Results:

• Provides a framework for institutions to cost their own IC services.
• Demonstrates the financial benefits and savings attributable to effective IC measures.
• Highlights the economic consequences of hospital-acquired infections and outbreaks.

Conclusions:

• Separating IC and microbiology budgets is feasible without compromising service delivery.
• Implementing robust costing for IC services can optimize resource allocation.
• Understanding the cost-effectiveness of IC is crucial for healthcare financial planning.