title: Should money follow the patient: Financial implication for being the National Centre for the Treatment and Management of Pelvic and Acetabular Fractures in Ireland.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pelvic and acetabular fractures are complex injuries requiring specialist treatment. Our institution is the National Centre for Treatment and Management of these injuries.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To audit all referrals to our institution over a 6-month period and calculate the cost incurred by being the national referral centre.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review of database, and subsequent allocation of Casemix points to assess total cost of treatment for each patient referred to our institution.
  
  
  RESULTS
  103 patients referred with pelvic or acetabular fracture for operative management. The furthest referral distance was 181miles. Over-all, the length of stay was 15.4 days. The average inclusive cost for a referral to our unit for operative management was €16,302.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pelvic and acetabular fractures are complex injuries that require specialist referral unit management. However for these units to remain sustainable money needs to "follow the patient".
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Pelvic & Acetabular Surgery, The Adelaide and Meath Hospital, Dublin, Incorporating the National Children's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland. Electronic address: Kellym11@tcd.ie.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leonard
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Beggs
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McElwain
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morris
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000077:Acetabulum / Q000293:injuries*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D054869:Clinical Audit; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005260:Female; D005592:Fracture Fixation / Q000191:economics; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010384:Pelvic Bones / Q000293:injuries*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices
keywords: Casemix; Cost analysis; Money follows the patient; National Referral Centre; Pelvic and acetabular fractures