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. 2022 Nov 14:56:e20220295.
doi: 10.1590/1980-220X-REEUSP-2022-0295en. eCollection 2022.

Average direct costs of outpatient, hospital, and home care provided to patients with chronic wounds

[Article in English, Portuguese]
Paula Buck de Oliveira Ruiz  1 , Antônio Fernandes Costa Lima  1
Affiliations

Average direct costs of outpatient, hospital, and home care provided to patients with chronic wounds

[Article in English, Portuguese]
Paula Buck de Oliveira Ruiz et al. Rev Esc Enferm USP. .

Abstract
in English, Portuguese, Spanish

Objective: To analyze the average direct costs of outpatient, hospital, and home care provided to patients with chronic wounds.

Method: Quantitative, exploratory-descriptive case study, carried out in a Comprehensive Wound Care Unit. Costs were obtained by multiplying the time spent by professionals by the unit cost of labor in the respective category, adding to the costs of materials and topical therapies.

Results: Outpatient care costs corresponded to US$4.25 (SD ± 7.60), hospital care to US$3.87 (SD ± 17.27), and home care to US$3.47 (SD ± 5.73). In these three modalities, direct costs with dressings and medical consultations were the most representative: US$7.76 (SD ± 9.46) and US$6.61 (SD ± 6.54); US$7.06 (SD ± 24.16) and US$15.60 (SD ± 0.00); US$4.09 (SD ± 5.28) and US$15.60 (SD ± 0.00), respectively.

Conclusion: Considering comprehensive care for patients with chronic wounds, the mean total direct cost was US$10.28 (SD ± 17.21), with the outpatient modality being the most representative in its composition. There was a statistically significant difference (p value = 0.000) between the costs of home and outpatient, home and hospital, and outpatient and hospital care.

Objetivo:: Analisar os custos diretos médios da assistência ambulatorial, hospitalar e domiciliar prestada aos pacientes com feridas crônicas.

Método:: Pesquisa quantitativa, exploratório-descritiva, do tipo estudo de caso, realizada numa Unidade de Tratamento Integral de Ferida. Obtiveram-se os custos multiplicando-se o tempo despendido pelos profissionais pelo custo unitário da mão de obra da respectiva categoria, somando-se aos custos dos materiais e terapias tópicas.

Resultados:: Os custos da assistência ambulatorial corresponderam a US$4,25 (DP ± 7,60), da hospitalar a US$3,87 (DP ± 17,27) e da domiciliar a US$3,47 (DP ± 5,73). Nessas três modalidades, os custos diretos com os curativos e consultas médicas foram os mais representativos: US$7,76 (DP ± 9,46) e US$6,61 (DP ± 6,54); US$7,06 (DP ± 24,16) e US$15,60 (DP ± 0,00); US$4,09 (DP ± 5,28) e US$15,60 (DP ± 0,00), respectivamente.

Conclusão: Considerando a assistência integral aos pacientes com feridas crônicas, o custo direto médio total foi de US$10,28 (DP ± 17,21), sendo a modalidade ambulatorial a mais representativa na sua composição. Constatou-se diferença estatística significante (valor p = 0,000) entre os custos da assistência domiciliar e ambulatorial, domiciliar e hospitalar e ambulatorial e hospitalar.

Objetivo:: Analizar los costos directos promedios de la atención ambulatoria, hospitalaria y domiciliaria prestada a pacientes con heridas crónicas.

Método:: Investigación cuantitativa, exploratoria-descriptiva, del tipo estudio de caso, realizada en una Unidad de Atención Integral de Heridas. Los costos se obtuvieron al multiplicar el tiempo dedicado por los profesionales por el costo unitario de la mano de obra en la respectiva categoría, sumado a los costos de materiales y terapias tópicas.

Resultados:: Los costos de atención ambulatoria correspondieron a US$ 4,25 (DE ± 7,60), hospitalaria a US$ 3,87 (DE ± 17,27) y atención domiciliaria a US$ 3,47 (DE ± 5,73). En estas tres modalidades, los costos directos con apósitos y consultas médicas fueron los más representativos: US$7,76 (DE ± 9,46) y US$6,61 (DE ± 6,54); US$7,06 (DE ± 24,16) y US$15,60 (DE ± 0,00); US$4,09 (DE ± 5,28) y US$15,60 (DE ± 0,00), respectivamente.

Conclusión:: Considerando la atención integral a pacientes con heridas crónicas, el costo directo promedio total fue de US$ 10,28 (DE ± 17,21), siendo la modalidad ambulatoria la más representativa en su composición. Hubo una diferencia estadísticamente significativa (p-valor = 0,000) entre los costos de atención domiciliaria y ambulatoria; domiciliaria y hospitalaria y, por fin, ambulatoria y hospitalaria.

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Figures

Chart 1
Chart 1. Establishment of the beginning and end of the measurement of the time spent by the health professional during the care of patients with chronic wounds in the CWCU – Vitória da Conquista, BA, Brazil, 2020.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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