title: Treatment Charges for Traumatic Brain Injury Among Older Adults at a Trauma Center.
abstract: To provide charge estimates of treatment for traumatic brain injury (TBI), including both hospital and physician charges, among adults 65 years and older treated at a trauma center.
  
  
  
  We identified older adults treated for TBI during 2008-2012 (n = 1843) at Maryland's Primary Adult Resource Center and obtained hospital and physician charges separately. Analyses were stratified by sex and all charges were inflated to 2012 dollars. Total TBI charges were modeled as a function of covariates using a generalized linear model.
  
  
  
  Women comprised 48% of the sample. The mean unadjusted total TBI hospitalization charge for adults 65 years and older was $36 075 (standard deviation, $63 073). Physician charges comprised 15% of total charges. Adjusted mean charges were lower in women than in men (adjusted difference, -$894; 95% confidence interval, -$277 to -$1512). Length of hospital and intensive care unit stay were associated with the highest charges.
  
  
  
  This study provides the first estimates of hospital and physician charges associated with hospitalization for TBI among older adults at a trauma center that will aid in resource allocation, triage decisions, and healthcare policy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore (Drs Albrecht and Smith); Department of Pharmaceutical Health Services Research, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore (Dr Slejko); Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Critical Care, R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore (Dr Stein); and Shock, Trauma and Anesthesiology Research-Organized Research Center, National Study Center for Trauma and Emergency Medical Services, University of Maryland, Baltimore (Dr Smith).
authors.forename: Jennifer S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Albrecht
authors.forename: Julia F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Slejko
authors.forename: Deborah M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.forename: Gordon S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015142:Baltimore; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D017722:Hospital Charges; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics*; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014193:Trauma Centers / Q000191:economics*