title: Financial charges of hospitalized motorcyclists at the Massachusetts General Hospital.
abstract: We studied 47 hospitalized motorcyclists admitted through the Massachusetts General Hospital emergency room during a 1-year period. Four factors were studied: 1) hospitalization charges, 2) hospitalization lengths, 3) medical insurance profiles, and 4) patterns of injuries. The mean hospitalization charges were +15,114. The total hospital charges for this group of patients were nearly +700,000. These figures excluded the costs of subsequent admissions, surgeons' fees, rehabilitation, vocational training, legal suits, and loss of wages. Sixteen per cent of the charges were uncollectable. Forty-six per cent of the patients were uninsured. The average hospitalization was 22 days. The mean age was 22 years and 90% of patients were less than 30 years old. Eighty-five per cent of the patients sustained at least one fracture. Lower extremity fractures occurred in 60%, open fractures in 55%, and tibia fractures occurred in 33% of the patients. Associated head, chest, or abdominal injuries occurred in 40% of the patients. Patients with multiple fractures, open fractures, and grade 3 open tibia fractures had substantially higher hospital bills.
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000191:economics*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001900:Boston; D005251:Fees, Medical; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000191:economics / Q000209:etiology; D006260:Head Protective Devices; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D007350:Insurance, Hospitalization / Q000191:economics; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008404:Massachusetts; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000191:economics