Citation

Kane E, Richman PB, Xu KT, Krall S, Blow O. J. Emerg. Trauma Shock 2019; 12(1): 54-57.

Affiliation

Department of Acute Care Surgery, Trauma and Surgical Critical Care, CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital, Corpus Christi, Texas, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, INDO-US Emergency and Trauma Collaborative, Publisher Medknow Publications)

DOI

10.4103/JETS.JETS_29_18

PMID

31057285

PMCID

PMC6496986

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to evaluate the costs, characteristics, and outcomes of patients brought to a Texas trauma center emergenct department after apprehension by Border Patrol (BP)/Immigration and Customs Enforcement (BP/ICE).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of a trauma registry/financial records (1/1/11-12/31/14). Data were extracted utilizing a structured form. A multivariate ordinary least square was estimated to identify variables associated with hospital charges.

RESULTS: A total of 128 patients were enrolled as the study group; mean age was 28.6 ± 6 years, 20.3% were female, 100% were Hispanic, the most common mechanism of injury (MOI) was motor vehicle crash (75%), and mean charge was $162,152 ± $295,441. Mean length of stay (LOS) was 13.2 ± 29.8 days; 92.2% survived to discharge. Bivariate analysis revealed that MOI differed by gender (P = 0.021). In the multivariate analysis, the only variable that associated with increased charge was LOS. Total charges for the 128 patients were $20.6M, total costs were $4.5M, and total payments were $0.99M.

CONCLUSIONS: Undocumented immigrants apprehended by BP/ICE and brought to our trauma center utilized significant health-care resources.

Language: en

Keywords

Cost; illegal immigration; trauma; undocumented immigrants