title: The charges for seizures in the pediatric emergency room: a single center study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The direct charges for emergency department visits resulting from recurrent seizures are significant, and home intervention with abortive medications can be cost-saving. Over a 1-year period, we evaluated children with seizures who were seen in the emergency department, stabilized, and released. The information is necessary to assess the pharmacoeconomic advantages of at-home interventions for seizure emergencies.
  
  
  METHODS
  We did a retrospective chart review of 90 patients and divided them into febrile versus nonfebrile seizures and existing versus new-onset seizure disorder. The hospital accounting department performed a charge analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The total charges for all 90 patients treated for seizures in the emergency department were $219,945. The minimum was $370, for a patient with no history of febrile seizures. The maximum was $17,126, for a patient with a nonfebrile seizure and a history of seizures. This information allows a comparison with the cost of preventive medications, such as diazepam rectal gel or intranasal midazolam.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Neurology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Le Bonheur Comprehensive Epilepsy Program and Neuroscience Institute, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee; Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Caron
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Neurology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Le Bonheur Comprehensive Epilepsy Program and Neuroscience Institute, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee; Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Catherine E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Wheless
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Andrea B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Patters
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Neurology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Le Bonheur Comprehensive Epilepsy Program and Neuroscience Institute, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee; Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee. Electronic address: jwheless@uthsc.edu.
authors.forename: James W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Wheless
mesh_terms: D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012640:Seizures / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy
keywords: at-home interventions; charges; emergency room treatment; epileptic seizures