[Economic evaluation of the Alfred 60/AST device implantation for bacterial growth detection with automatic sewing machine].

OBJECTIVE

It is becoming increasingly necessary to automatize screening of urine samples to culture at Microbiology laboratories. Our objective was to estimate the budget threshold from which the Alfred 60/AST device would be profitable for our hospital.

METHODS

Cost minimization study by decision trees, carried out in a General Hospital. The cost of traditional urine culture and urine processing using Alfred-60/AST were compared. Traditional processing involves the culture of all urine specimens received onto blood and MacConkey agar, and identification of every microorganism isolated by Vitek-2 system. The autoanalyzer would only inoculate the positive urines onto a chromogenic media, directly identifying the Escherichia coli isolates.

RESULTS

The variables with the greatest economic impact in the model were the probability of obtaining a positive culture, the prevalence of E. coli in the urine cultures and the cost per sample using Alfred-60/AST. The multivariate sensitivity analysis showed that the model was solid. The bivariate sensitivity analysis showed that the model is suceptible to cost modification, mainly of the automatic device. At a threshold value of 1.40 euros/determination, the automatic processing would decrease the annual costs in 2,879 euros.

CONCLUSIONS

The introduction of the Alfred-60/AST device in our laboratory at 1.40 euros/determination would reduce urine processing workload, saving time and costs.