The cost of caring for patients with tuberculosis: planning for a disease on the rise.
OBJECTIVE
An economic analysis was conducted for all patients with a primary diagnosis of tuberculosis admitted to a university hospital for a 1-year period in 1992.


METHODS
The economic analysis was conducted by using the hospital billing system to capture resource use for patients with tuberculosis and cost-to-charge ratios to estimate hospital costs.


METHODS
A university teaching hospital.


METHODS
Patients with a primary diagnosis of tuberculosis were included in the study.


RESULTS
The average length of stay for patients was 22.7 days on initial admission to the hospital and 13.5 days on readmission. The average cost of care was $27,109 for initial admission, $13,094 for readmission, and $20,222 when all patients were included.


CONCLUSIONS
Room costs were the most significant contributor to the total cost of care, followed by laboratory costs and ancillary hospital costs. We calculate the average cost for caring for a patient with tuberculosis at approximately $20,000 per year.
Shulkin
D J
DJ
Office of Clinical Outcome Assessment and Quality Management, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia 19104, USA.
Brennan
P J
PJ
D006285:Health Planning / Q000639:trends; D017721:Hospital Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010362:Patients' Rooms / Q000191:economics; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics*