Errors in health care management: what do they cost?
BACKGROUND
Iatrogenic injuries are relatively common and a potentially avoidable source of morbidity. The economic evaluation of this area has been limited by the lack of good quality national data to provide an estimate of incidence, associated disability, and preventability of iatrogenic injuries. Two recent surveys, the Quality in Australian Health Care Study (QAHCS) and the Utah Colorado Study (UTCOS), have now made this feasible.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the direct costs associated with iatrogenic injuries occurring in a hospital setting.


METHODS
The QAHCS was used as a representative national source of information on the incidence, disability, and preventability of iatrogenic injuries. Costs were calculated using information from Australian disease related groups (AN-DRGs) relative to the injury categories.


RESULTS
The cost of just 12 preventable iatrogenic injuries is significant (0.25 million US dollars) and accounts for 2-3% of the annual budget of a typical Australian community based hospital of 120 beds. Costing data provide additional useful information for policy and decision makers.


CONCLUSIONS
Costing iatrogenic injuries is an important component of the impact of these events. An ongoing national database of iatrogenic injuries is necessary to assist in identifying the incidence of these injuries, monitoring trends, and providing data for cost estimates and economic evaluations.
Rigby
K D
KD
Formerly Australian, Patient Safety Foundation, GPO Box 511, Stirling, South Australia, Australia.
Litt
J C
JC
D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003361:Cost Allocation / Q000379:methods; D003625:Data Collection; D017721:Hospital Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007049:Iatrogenic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015994:Incidence; D019300:Medical Errors / Q000145:classification / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009313:National Health Programs; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D011897:Random Allocation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012494:Sampling Studies