title: Age and the economics of an emergency medical admission-what factors determine costs?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The ageing of the population may be anticipated to increase demand on hospital resources. We have investigated the relationship between hospital episode costs and age profile in a single centre.
  
  
  METHODS
  All Emergency Medical admissions (33 732 episodes) to an Irish hospital over a 6-year period, categorized into three age groups, were evaluated against total hospital episode costs. Univariate and adjusted incidence rate ratios (IRRs) were calculated using zero truncated Poisson regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total hospital episode cost increased with age ( P < 0.001). The multi-variable Poisson regression model demonstrated that the most important drivers of overall costs were Acute Illness Severity-IRR 1.36 (95% CI: 1.30, 1.41), Sepsis Status -1.46 (95% CI: 1.42, 1.51) and Chronic Disabling Disease Score -1.25 (95% CI: 1.22, 1.27) and the Age Group as exemplified for those 85 years IRR 1.23 (95% CI: 1.15, 1.32).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Total hospital episode costs are a product of clinical complexity with contributions from the Acute Illness Severity, Co-Morbidity, Chronic Disabling Disease Score and Sepsis Status. However age is also an important contributor and an increasing patient age profile will have a predictable impact on total hospital episode costs.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: McCabe
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cournane
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Byrne
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Conway
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: O'Riordan
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Silke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000191:economics*; D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000379:methods; D017721:Hospital Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012720:Severity of Illness Index