title: Cost analysis of facial injury treatment in two university hospitals in Malaysia: a prospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Facial injury (FI) may occur in isolation or in association with injuries to other parts of the body (facial and other injury [FOI]). The objective of this study was to determine the direct treatment costs incurred during the management of facial trauma.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective cohort study on treatment cost for FIs and FOIs due to road-traffic crashes in two university hospitals in Malaysia was conducted from July 2010 to June 2011. The patients were recruited from emergency departments and reviewed after 6 months from the date of initial treatment. Direct cost analysis, comparison of cost and length of hospital stay, and Injury Severity Score (ISS) were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 190 patients were enrolled in the study, of whom 83 (43.7%) had FI only, and 107 (56.3%) had FOI. The mean ISS was 5.4. The mean length of stay and costs for patients with FI only were 5.8 days with a total cost of US$1,261.96, whereas patients with FOI were admitted for 7.8 days with a total cost of US$1,716.47. Costs doubled if the treatment was performed under general anesthesia compared to local anesthesia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment of FI and FOI imposes a financial burden on the health care system in Malaysia.
authors.affiliation: International Centre for Casemix and Clinical Coding, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur.
authors.forename: Bin Sulong
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Saperi
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur.
authors.forename: Roszalina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ramli
authors.affiliation: International Centre for Casemix and Clinical Coding, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur.
authors.forename: Zafar
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: International Centre for Casemix and Clinical Coding, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur.
authors.forename: Amrizal
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Muhd Nur
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian.
authors.forename: Mohd Ismail
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur.
authors.forename: Muhd Fazlynizam
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Rashdi
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur.
authors.forename: Rifqah
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nordin
authors.affiliation: School of Dental Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian.
authors.forename: Normastura Abd
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.affiliation: School of Dental Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian.
authors.forename: Azizah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yusoff
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur.
authors.forename: Abd Jabar
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Nazimi
authors.affiliation: School of Dental Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian.
authors.forename: Roselinda
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Abdul Rahman
authors.affiliation: School of Dental Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian.
authors.forename: Noorhayati
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Abdul Razak
authors.affiliation: Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Norlen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mohamed
keywords: Malaysia; cost analysis; facial injury; road traffic crashes; university hospitals