Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Bartolome, M
• Almirall, J
• Morera, J
• Pera, G
• Ortun, V
• Bassa, J
• Bolibar, I
• Balanzo, X
• Verdaguer, A
• Maresme Community-Acquired Pneumonia Study Group

Titel

A population-based study of the costs of care for community-acquired pneumonia

Ist Teil von

• The European respiratory journal, 2004-04, Vol.23 (4), p.610-616

Ort / Verlag

Leeds: Eur Respiratory Soc

Erscheinungsjahr

2004

Quelle

MEDLINE

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• In a population-based study, the consumption of resources for treating adult patients with community-acquired pneumonia was determined. During a 2-yr period, all cases with a clinical and radiological suspicion of community-acquired pneumonia that occurred in patients aged > 14 yrs in a community of 74,610 inhabitants were investigated prospectively. Of 292 cases with a suspicion of community-acquired pneumonia, 224 were included (18.5% misdiagnoses). The mean number of visits per patient was 4.5 (72% in the primary care setting). Inpatient care was recommended in 59.8% of cases; after discharge, 44% of patients were managed in outpatient clinics. The mean direct cost of pneumonia treated in the hospital setting was [symbol: see text] (euros) 1,553, whereas the mean cost of cases treated as outpatients was [symbol: see text] 196. A total of 15.7% of admissions were considered inappropriate and the length of stay could have been reduced by 3.5 days in the most severe cases. A reduction in inappropriate admissions and lengths of hospital stay would result in a decrease in cost of 17.4%. Community-acquired pneumonia in Maresme, Spain, occurs at a low incidence, although with a high percentage of hospitalisations (in part inappropriate), resulting in considerable costs.