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Am J Emerg Med. 2022 Aug;58:89-94. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2022.05.035. Epub 2022 May 27.
Spending on emergency department (ED) services in recent years has increased faster than spending in any other area of healthcare. Analyzing growth rates of ED treatment costs by patient and hospital attributes may illuminate ways to reduce overall hospital cost growth. Prior studies have examined changes in ED visit charges and expenditures over time, but little research has focused on changes in ED treatment costs.
We analyzed trends in ED treatment costs by applying the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Cost-to-Charge Ratios for ED Files to the 2012-2019 HCUP Nationwide Emergency Department Sample. Specifically, we estimated treatment cost per ED visit, mean and total costs by patient and hospital characteristics, and compound annual growth rate in costs and patient volumes.
During 2012-2019, ED treatment costs increased from $54 billion to $88 billion, a 5.4% annual growth rate-with 4.4 percentage points attributable to higher treatment cost per visit. Growth rates varied by patient and hospital attribute.
By highlighting overall ED cost trends, as well as specific segments of the delivery system with the most rapidly increasing costs, this study provides important information for policymakers and hospital decisionmakers.
近年来，急诊科（ED）服务的支出增长速度超过了医疗保健领域的任何其他领域。分析患者和医院特征的 ED 治疗成本增长率可以阐明降低整体医院成本增长的方法。先前的研究已经检查了 ED 就诊费用和支出随时间的变化，但很少有研究关注 ED 治疗成本的变化。
我们通过将医疗保健成本和利用项目（HCUP）ED 文件的费用与收费比例应用于 2012-2019 年 HCUP 全国急诊部抽样调查，分析了 ED 治疗成本的趋势。具体来说，我们根据患者和医院特征估计了每次 ED 就诊的治疗费用、平均值和总成本，以及成本和患者数量的复合年增长率。
在 2012-2019 年期间，ED 治疗费用从 540 亿美元增加到 880 亿美元，年增长率为 5.4%，其中 4.4 个百分点归因于每次就诊的治疗费用增加。增长率因患者和医院特征而异。
通过突出显示总体 ED 成本趋势，以及成本增长最快的特定医疗系统部分，本研究为政策制定者和医院决策者提供了重要信息。
