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. 2013 Jan;205(1):29-34.
doi: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2012.05.002. Epub 2012 Sep 25.

Predicting resource utilization of elderly burn patients in the baby boomer era

Winston T Richards  1 , Winston A Richards, Makeesha Miggins, Huazhi Liu, David W Mozingo, Darwin N Ang
Affiliations

Predicting resource utilization of elderly burn patients in the baby boomer era

Winston T Richards et al. Am J Surg. 2013 Jan.

Abstract

Background: Census predictions for Florida suggest a 3-fold increase in the 65 and older population within 20 years. We predict resource utilization for burn patients in this age group.

Methods: Using the Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration admission dataset, we evaluated the effect of age on length of stay, hospital charges, and discharge disposition while adjusting for clinical and demographic factors. Using US Census Bureau data and burn incidence rates from this dataset, we estimated future resource use.

Results: Elderly patients were discharged to home less often and were discharged to short-term general hospitals, intermediate-care facilities, and skilled nursing facilities more often than the other age groups (P < .05). They also required home health care and intravenous medications significantly more often (P < .05). Their length of stay was longer, and total hospital charges were greater (P < .05) after adjusting for sex, race, Charleson comorbidity index, payer, total body surface area burned, and burn center treatment.

Conclusions: Our data show an age-dependent increase in the use of posthospitalization resources, the length of stay, and the total charges for elderly burn patients.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Frequency of burn sizes (TBSA) seen at burn centers and non-burn centers divided by age group.
Figure 1
Figure 1
Frequency of burn sizes (TBSA) seen at burn centers and non-burn centers divided by age group.
Figure 1
Figure 1
Frequency of burn sizes (TBSA) seen at burn centers and non-burn centers divided by age group.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Graph showing the trend of increasing population in the State and the relative increase in the population of patients 65+. (Projected number of burn cases evaluated in Florida Trauma Centers by age based on calculated 2000 incidence rate.)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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