Cost-effectiveness analysis of paramedic emergency medical services in the treatment of prehospital cardiopulmonary arrest.
OBJECTIVE
1) Identification of marginal costs associated with prehospital resuscitation of cardiopulmonary arrest; 2) Determination of cost effectiveness for such resuscitation; and 3) Comparison of cost effectiveness of paramedic care with selected other medical interventions.


METHODS
Retrospective review of 190 cases of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.


METHODS
City limits of a midsized southwestern city. The events studied took place outside of medical facilities.


METHODS
Victims of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest for whom the EMS system was activated by a 911 telephone request for emergency medical assistance.


RESULTS
The cost, including training, personnel, equipment, and response time maintenance, per year of life saved was found to be $8,886.00 for paramedic care. This result was compared with published cost-effectiveness figures for heart transplantation, liver transplantation, bone marrow transplantation, and chemotherapy for acute leukemia. Paramedic care was more cost effective, as measured by cost per year of life saved, than organ transplantation and chemotherapy for acute leukemia.


CONCLUSIONS
Out-of-hospital treatment by paramedics of cardiopulmonary arrest is more cost effective than heart, liver, bone marrow transplantation, or curative chemotherapy for acute leukemia.
Valenzuela
T D
TD
Department of Surgery, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson.
Criss
E A
EA
Spaite
D
D
Meislin
H W
HW
Wright
A L
AL
Clark
L
L
D001130:Arizona; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000191:economics*; D005260:Female; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016377:Organ Transplantation / Q000191:economics; D012151:Resuscitation / Q000191:economics*