Citation

Parkinson F, Kent SJ, Aldous C, Oosthuizen G, Clarke D. Injury 2014; 45(1): 342-345.

Affiliation

Edendale Hospital, Pietermaritzburg, P/Bag X509, Plessislaer 3216, South Africa; Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Electronic address: franparkinson@hotmail.co.uk.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.injury.2013.04.007

PMID

23731494

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Road traffic crashes are responsible for a vast amount of death and disability in developing countries. This study uses a bottom up, micro-costing approach to determine the cost of road traffic related crashes in South Africa. METHODS: Using the data from one hundred consecutive RTC related admissions to a regional hospital in South Africa we performed a bottom up costing study. To calculate costs patients were reviewed every 48h and all interventions were recorded for each individual patient. Prices of interventions were obtained from hospital pricelists. A total cost was calculated on an individual basis. RESULTS: The total cost of in-patient care for these patients was US $6,98,850. Upper limb injuries were the most expensive, and the total cost increased with the number of body regions injured. The biggest expenditure was on ward overheads ($2,81,681). Ninety operations were performed - the total cost of theatre time was $1,48,230 and the cost of orthopaedic implants was $1,26,487. CONCLUSION: The cost of care of a RTC victim is significant. In light of the high numbers of RTC victims admitted over the course of the year this is a significant cost burden for a regional hospital to bear. This cost must be taken into account when allocating hospital budgets.

Language: en