Annear Michael J, Tierney Laura T, Vickers James C, Palmer Andrew J
Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
Australas J Ageing. 2016 Sep;35(3):E32-5. doi: 10.1111/ajag.12318. Epub 2016 Mar 11.
At a time of increasing dementia prevalence, this research explores the cost of treatment and length of stay associated with the syndrome in a large regional hospital.
Database analysis of 4332 recorded admissions to a large regional Australian hospital among adults aged 55 years and older during winter 2013 and 2014.
Costs of hospital treatment and length of stay for people with a diagnosis of dementia who presented to a regional hospital were significantly greater than people with no diagnosis over two years. Costs were unrelated to age or likelihood of death in hospital. Prevalence of dementia admissions was low, but treated conditions indicate that the syndrome may be an underlying, and potentially unrecognised, factor in many admissions.
Dementia imposes a large cost and resource burden on a regional hospital. Improved identification of the syndrome on admission and implementation of best-evidence management of dementia in regional hospitals may improve care efficiency.
在痴呆症患病率不断上升的时期，本研究探讨了一家大型地区医院中与该综合征相关的治疗费用和住院时间。
对2013年冬季和2014年澳大利亚一家大型地区医院记录的4332例55岁及以上成年人入院病例进行数据库分析。
在两年时间里，被诊断为痴呆症并入住地区医院的患者的住院治疗费用和住院时间明显高于未被诊断出痴呆症的患者。费用与年龄或在医院死亡的可能性无关。痴呆症入院率较低，但所治疗的病症表明，该综合征可能是许多入院病例中的一个潜在且可能未被认识到的因素。
痴呆症给地区医院带来了巨大的成本和资源负担。在入院时更好地识别该综合征，并在地区医院实施基于最佳证据的痴呆症管理，可能会提高护理效率。
