title: Impact of hospital-acquired Clostridium difficile.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the impact of hospital-acquired Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) on hospital costs and patient length of stay.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from the 2007-2008 New York State Department of Health's Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System (SPARCS) database was analyzed using regression analysis and descriptive statistics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After analysis of 4 853 800 patient discharges, the incidence rate of hospital-acquired CDI was 0.8 cases per 1000 discharges. The estimated marginal cost associated with each hospital infection was approximately $29 000. The estimated annual cost of CDI in New York State was approximately $55 million with nearly 23 000 additional hospital days.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The development of hospital-acquired CDI is associated with a significant increase in hospital costs and patient length of stay. Extrapolation of these estimates to all US hospitals suggests this condition represents a major burden to the US healthcare system. Our findings may help hospitals understand the impact of these infections, as well as potential implications if deemed preventable by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and/or private payers. Additionally, this information may benefit hospitals or health care systems transitioning to alternative payment models, such as episode-based payments or accountable care. Healthcare providers and hospitals would benefit from better understanding the impact and frequency of these infections in order to best target preventive strategies.
authors: Department of Medicine, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York 10034, USA. mjl2175@columbia.edu
authors: Michael J
authors: MJ
authors: Lipp
authors: Damion C
authors: DC
authors: Nero
authors: Mark A
authors: MA
authors: Callahan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016360:Clostridioides difficile; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000191:economics* / Q000517:prevention & control; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000191:economics* / Q000517:prevention & control; D017721:Hospital Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016014:Linear Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D009518:New York; D055815:Young Adult