Cost of a saved life following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest resuscitated by specially trained ambulance personnel

Abstract

During a 1-year-study period three emergency ambulances manned by specially trained emergency medical technicians (EMTs) were successful in the resuscitation of 28 out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients, who were admitted to hospital for further treatment. Nineteen patients died in hospital while nine were discharged to their homes, a survival rate corresponding to 3.5 saved lives per 100,000 inhabitants per year. The extra pre-hospital costs and the estimated costs for hospital treatment of the admitted patients amounted to 929,600 Swedish kronor (SEK). The program cost of the early defibrillation by trained EMTs accounted for only 12% of this amount, or 113,600 SEK. The cost of hospital treatment accounted for the remaining 88%, or 816,000 SEK. Intensive care accounted for 53% of the hospital costs, coronary care 4%, treatment in a general ward 33% and in a ward for rehabilitation or long-term care 10%. Non-survivors accounted for 58% of the hospital expenditure. The marginal prehospital cost (program cost) for each survivor was 12,622 SEK or approximately 1800 US dollars. The total cost per life saved was 103,000 SEK or approximately 14,700 US dollars. The estimated cost to each taxpayer of providing this extra emergency resource would be approximately 0.5 SEK a year.