AUTHOR=Wilmé Valérie , Sauleau Érik-André , Le Borgne Pierrick , Bayle Éric , Bilbault Pascal , Kepka Sabrina TITLE=Micro-costing analysis of suspected lower respiratory tract infection care in a French emergency department JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health VOLUME=11 YEAR=2023 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1276373 DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2023.1276373 ISSN=2296-2565 ABSTRACT=Introduction

In the context of budgetary constraints faced by healthcare systems, the medical-economic evaluation of care strategies becomes essential. In particular, valuing consumed resources in the overcrowded emergency departments (EDs) has become a priority to adopt more efficient approaches in treating the growing number of patients. However, precisely measuring the cost of care is challenging. While bottom-up micro-costing is considered the gold standard, its practical application remains limited.

Objective

The objective was to accurately estimate the ED care cost for patients consulting in a French ED for suspected lower respiratory tract infection.

Methods

The authors conducted a cost analysis using a bottom-up micro-costing method. Patients were prospectively included between January 1, and March 31, 2023. The primary endpoint was the mean cost of ED care. Resources consumed were collected using direct observation method and cost data were obtained from information available at Strasbourg University Hospital.

Results

The mean cost of ED care was €411.68 (SD = 174.49). The cost elements that made the greatest contribution to the total cost were laboratory tests, labor, latency time, imaging and consumables. Considering this cost and the current epidemiological data on respiratory infections in France, the absence of valuation for outpatient care represents an annual loss of over 17 million euros for healthcare facilities.

Conclusion

Micro-costing is a key element in valuing healthcare costs. The importance of accurately measuring costs, along with measuring the health outcomes of a defined care pathway, is to enhance the relevance of health economic evaluations and thus ensure efficient care.