TY - JOUR
T1 - Estimating the extra charges and prolongation of hospitalization due to nosocomial infections
T2 - A comparison of methods
AU - Haley, R. W.
AU - Schaberg, D. R.
AU - Von Allmen, S. D.
AU - McGowan, J. E.
PY - 1980
Y1 - 1980
N2 - Estimates of the economic consequences of nosocomial infections were derived by studying thesame patient population with two different methods: physician's assessment and comparisons of patients with nosocomial infection and those without, mathced on five characteristics. Estimates of extra days and extra routine charges obtained by the comparison were about 2 1/2 times greater than those obtained by the physician's assessment (P<0.0001). Even when the match of patients was exact and measures were taken to avoid confounding, patients with nosocomial infection had more discharge diagnoses recorded (P=0.02) and experienced more episodes of pulmonary embolism, renal failure, and death in the hospital than did their counterparts. These differences suggest that despite careful matching, the members of the pairs were not comparable in their intrinsic predisposition to prolonged hospitalization. Unless patients can be matched on this predisposition, the estimates from a comparison study will be exaggerated.
AB - Estimates of the economic consequences of nosocomial infections were derived by studying thesame patient population with two different methods: physician's assessment and comparisons of patients with nosocomial infection and those without, mathced on five characteristics. Estimates of extra days and extra routine charges obtained by the comparison were about 2 1/2 times greater than those obtained by the physician's assessment (P<0.0001). Even when the match of patients was exact and measures were taken to avoid confounding, patients with nosocomial infection had more discharge diagnoses recorded (P=0.02) and experienced more episodes of pulmonary embolism, renal failure, and death in the hospital than did their counterparts. These differences suggest that despite careful matching, the members of the pairs were not comparable in their intrinsic predisposition to prolonged hospitalization. Unless patients can be matched on this predisposition, the estimates from a comparison study will be exaggerated.
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U2 - 10.1093/infdis/141.2.248
DO - 10.1093/infdis/141.2.248
M3 - Article
C2 - 6767793
AN - SCOPUS:0018867805
SN - 0022-1899
VL - 141
SP - 248
EP - 257
JO - Journal of Infectious Diseases
JF - Journal of Infectious Diseases
IS - 2
ER -