title: How to run a heart surgical unit: experiences during the first year of the Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, University Clinic of Regensburg.
abstract: The heart surgery unit in Regensburg was opened in June 1992. A cost analysis was done for the first year, thru May 1993 with respect to facilities, output and wages. Facilities were divided into rooms, beds and personnel. The number of rooms was constant throughout the reporting period whereas beds and personnel increased continuously. Particularly the nursing staff was expanded to meet the rising demand. A direct consequence of this progressive personnel policy was that the personnel costs also increased continuously. 644 operations were done, 542 with and 102 without a heart-lung-machine. The number of operations using a heart-lung-machine rose from 18 per month in June 1992 to 59 in May 1993. The average length of hospitalization was 13.6 days. The cost of wages per month rose from DM 166,000 initially to DM 378,000. The cost of wages per hospitalization day, however, sank from DM 740 to DM 393. Distributing non-assigned costs to the cost objects in the same relationship as assigned costs, costs per hospitalization day were as follows: Intensive care unit DM 1,233 and care unit S43 DM 193. The cost of wages per operation was estimated at DM 1,553.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, University Clinic of Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Zurbrügg
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Piehler
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Weiss
mesh_terms: D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016507:Cardiology Service, Hospital / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003325:Coronary Care Units / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005858:Germany; D017721:Hospital Costs; D006757:Hospital Units / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000191:economics; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000191:economics; D012456:Salaries and Fringe Benefits; D000078329:Workforce