The excess cost associated with healthcare-associated bloodstream infections at Auckland City Hospital.
OBJECTIVE
This study was undertaken to determine the cost of healthcare-associated bloodstream infections (HA-BSI) in adult patients admitted to an Auckland City Hospital.


METHODS
A matched cohort study was performed with a 1:2 or 1:1 match in which all patients admitted between January and June 2005 who had HA-BSI were included. Controls were selected from patients admitted between July 2004 and December 2006. Patients with haemodialysis central line-related HA-BSI were not matched with controls as the admission was related purely to that episode of infection.


RESULTS
There were 106 episodes of HA-BSI in 99 patients. Fifty-five patients were able to be matched 1:1 or 1:2 with controls, group 1. Nineteen BSI episodes were in patients undergoing renal replacement therapy by haemodialysis and the patients were admitted as a consequence of this episode of infection, group 2. An episode of HA-BSI increased the length of the hospital admission by 9.7 days and 7.9 days in group 1 and group 2, respectively. The excess cost associated with an episode of HA- BSI was $20,394 in group 1 and $11,139 in group 2.


CONCLUSIONS
There are substantial costs associated with HA-BSI. A proportion of these infections can be reduced by effective infection control measures.
Burns
Andrew
A
Department of Microbiology, Auckland District Health Board, Auckland, New Zealand.
Bowers
Lesley
L
Pak
Nick T
NT
Wignall
Jean
J
Roberts
Sally
S
D016470:Bacteremia / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006302:Health Services Research; D017721:Hospital Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006786:Hospitals, Urban / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies