[Activity and costs of diagnosis-related groups (DRG) of neurological services at the Virgen de las Nieves Hospital of Granada].
BACKGROUND
The influence on health costs of variations in the clinical practice of doctors makes it necessary for them to be involved in the administration of resources so as to increase the efficacy, effectiveness and efficiency of clinical units.


OBJECTIVE
To analyze the activity of the Neurology Department of the Virgen de las Nieves Hospital of Granada and to determine its costs per GRD.


METHODS
Activity during 1996 was compared with that of the previous year and with a standard using measurements of cases, efficiency in administration of beds, quality of data and quality of care. The GRD costs of the service were found.


RESULTS
Ninety percent of the discharges were grouped in 20 GRD, and GRD 014 and 015 represented 44% of the productivity. Complexity of the cases was 5% more than in 1995, similar to that of Rule IV [20]. Extreme cases led to a third of all admissions. Mortality was less than expected (3.13%). Hospital stays made up 82% of the total cost. The cost of one stay in hospital was 463.686 pesetas.


CONCLUSIONS
It is essential to improve the structure and procedures related to hospital care of patients with cerebral vacular pathology. Those with uncomplicated conditions should be attended as outpatients or in smaller hospitals. The GRD costs obtained are not comparable to those of other authors. Hospital activity should be measured homogeneously and use should be made of analytical accounting systems with common operators and standardized applications so as to obtain reliable, comparable data.
Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, Granada, España.
A
A
Ortega-Moreno
J
J
Martínez-Tapia
F
F
Pérez-Sáez
D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003953:Diagnosis-Related Groups / Q000191:economics*; D006296:Health Services / Q000191:economics*; D006748:Hospital Departments / Q000191:economics*; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D009462:Neurology; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D013030:Spain
Actividad y costes por GRD del Servicio de Neurología del Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves de Granada.