title: The cost of outpatient venous thromboembolism prophylaxis following lower limb injuries.
abstract: This paper reports the cost of outpatient venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis following 388 injuries of the lower limb requiring immobilisation in our institution, from a total of 7408 new patients presenting between May and November 2011. Prophylaxis was by either self-administered subcutaneous dalteparin (n = 128) or oral dabigatran (n = 260). The mean duration of prophylaxis per patient was 46 days (6 to 168). The total cost (pay and non-pay) for prophylaxis with dalteparin was £107.54 and with dabigatran was £143.99. However, five patients in the dalteparin group required nurse administration (£23 per home visit), increasing the cost of dalteparin to £1142.54 per patient. The annual cost of VTE prophylaxis in a busy trauma clinic treating 12 700 new patients (2010/11), would be £92 526.33 in the context of an income for trauma of £1.82 million, which represents 5.3% of the outpatient tariff. Outpatient prophylaxis in a busy trauma clinic is achievable and affordable in the context of the clinical and financial risks involved.
authors: Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, Hull, United Kingdom. menax2k@yahoo.com
authors: C U
authors: CU
authors: Menakaya
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Pennington
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Muthukumar
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Joel
authors: A J
authors: AJ
authors: Ramirez Jimenez
authors: C J
authors: CJ
authors: Shaw
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Mohsen
mesh_terms: D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000191:economics; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics*; D017985:Dalteparin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics*; D005592:Fracture Fixation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D007869:Leg Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000293:injuries; D054556:Venous Thromboembolism / Q000191:economics* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D017985:Dalteparin