Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Osteoporos Int. 2012 May;23(5):1513-9. doi: 10.1007/s00198-011-1764-1. Epub 2011 Sep 3.
We prospectively collected data on elderly fallers to estimate the total cost of a fall requiring an Emergency Department presentation. Using data collected on 102 falls, we found the average cost per fall causing an Emergency Department presentation of $11,408. When hospitalization was required, the average cost per fall was $29,363.
For elderly persons, falls are a major source of mortality, morbidity, and disability. Previous Canadian cost estimates of seniors' falls were based upon administrative data that has been shown to underestimate the incidence of falls. Our objective was to use a labor-intensive, direct observation patient-tracking method to accurately estimate the total cost of falls among seniors who presented to a major urban Emergency Department (ED) in Canada.
We prospectively collected data from seniors (>70 years) presenting to the Vancouver General Hospital ED after a fall. We excluded individuals who where cognitively impaired or unable to read/write English. Data were collected on the care provided including physician assessments/consultations, radiology and laboratory tests, ED/hospital time, rehabilitation facility time, and in-hospital procedures. Unit costs of health resources were taken from a fully allocated hospital cost model.
Data were collected on 101 fall-related ED presentations. The most common diagnoses were fractures (n = 33) and lacerations (n = 11). The mean cost of a fall causing ED presentation was $11,408 (SD: $19,655). Thirty-eight fallers had injuries requiring hospital admission with an average total cost of $29,363 (SD: $22,661). Hip fractures cost $39,507 (SD: $17,932). Among the 62 individuals not admitted to the hospital, the average cost of their ED visit was $674 (SD: $429).
Among the growing population of Canadian seniors, falls have substantial costs. With the cost of a fall-related hospitalization approaching $30,000, there is an increased need for fall prevention programs.
我们前瞻性地收集了老年人跌倒者的数据，以估算因急诊就诊而导致的跌倒的总费用。通过对 102 例跌倒事件的数据进行分析，我们发现因急诊就诊而导致的跌倒的平均成本为 11408 美元。当需要住院治疗时，每次跌倒的平均成本为 29363 美元。
我们前瞻性地收集了在加拿大一家主要城市急诊就诊后因跌倒而就诊的老年人的数据。我们排除了认知受损或无法读写英语的老年人。数据收集内容包括医生评估/会诊、放射学和实验室检查、急诊/住院时间、康复设施时间以及住院内手术。医疗资源的单位成本取自完全分配的医院成本模型。
在加拿大不断增长的老年人群中，跌倒的成本很高。由于与跌倒相关的住院费用接近 30000 美元，因此需要更多的跌倒预防计划。
