What is the cost of admitting patients with transient ischaemic attacks to hospital?
Financial constraints at our institution prompted us to evaluate the management of patients referred to the Acute Stroke Service because of transient ischaemic attack (TIA). We analysed age, gender, length of stay, hospital costs, discharge disposition and stroke recurrence for all cases of TIA admitted to the Acute Stroke Service between January 1, 1994, and December 31, 1996. During this time, 110 cases of TIA were admitted. All had a CT head scan, 60% had carotid Doppler ultrasound, and 30% had transthoracic echocardiography. No patients admitted with TIA died, and 92% were discharged home. The average annual cost of in-patient management of TIA was 328,000 Canadian dollars, of which 95% were accounted for by the cost of the hospital bed alone. If hospitalisation of patients with TIA could be reduced, significant cost-savings could be realised.
Acute Stroke Service, Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
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Gubitz
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Phillips
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Dwyer
D000368:Aged; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics*; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000191:economics*; D013997:Time Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography