Effect of socioeconomic status on out-of-hospital transport delays of patients with chest pain

STUDY OBJECTIVES

The effect of socioeconomic status on out-of-hospital care has not been widely examined. We determine whether socioeconomic status was associated with out-of-hospital transport delays for patients with chest pain.

METHODS

A retrospective study of patients with chest pain transported by means of ambulance in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in 1999 was conducted. The primary outcome measure was the 90th percentile system response interval, with secondary outcomes being the 90th percentile on-scene interval, transport interval, and total out-of-hospital interval. Socioeconomic status was the primary independent variable. Covariates were age, sex, case severity, dispatch and return priority, time and day of transport, paramedic training, and percentage of high-rise apartments in the region.

RESULTS

Four thousand three hundred fifty-six patients met the inclusion criteria. The 90th percentile system response interval and total out-of-hospital interval were 11 minutes and 49 minutes, respectively. In multivariate analyses, the highest socioeconomic status neighborhoods were significantly associated with decreased system response interval (34.0 seconds; 95% confidence interval [CI] 6.2 to 70.9 seconds) and transport interval (132.3 seconds; 95% CI 24.1 to 229.6 seconds). In addition, age (+45.3 seconds per 10 years; 95% CI 13.3 to 75.1 seconds), female sex (+205.0 seconds; 95% CI 78.1 to 287.7 seconds), and advanced care paramedic crews (+371.6 seconds; 95% CI 263.3 to 490.1 seconds) were associated with delays in total out-of-hospital interval. Lastly, calls originating from the highest socioeconomic status neighborhoods were dispatched the highest proportion of advanced care paramedic crews, despite similar dispatch priorities and case severities.

CONCLUSION

High socioeconomic status neighborhoods were associated with shorter out-of-hospital transport intervals for patients with chest pain. In addition, out-of-hospital delays were associated with age, sex, and advanced care paramedic crew type, with calls from the highest socioeconomic status neighborhoods being most likely to receive advanced care paramedic crews.

A cost and outcomes comparison of a novel integrated pediatric air and ground transportation system

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study is to compare air transportation of critically ill pediatric patients with a mixed air-ground transportation system by evaluating timeliness, safety, and cost. The setting was a tertiary care "hub" center with three outlying-referral "spoke" facilities.

STUDY DESIGN

Our study included 96 children transported between June and December 1997, with 45% constituting surgical admissions and 55% medical admissions. Data collected at the outlying facilities, en route, and at our institution included vital signs, laboratory values, and Glasgow coma scores. We evaluated transport time, transport cost, Pediatric Risk of Mortality scores, and Pediatric Index of Mortality of the children during transportation using ANOVA statistical analysis. We also compared adverse events in transportation, total hospital length of stay, and mortality at 24 and 72 hours in both the air and ground transport groups to determine differences in predicted and observed mortality.

RESULTS

A total of 96 children were transported (48% by ground and 52% by air) between June and December 1997. The time at the referring facility was significantly shorter in the ground group than in the air group (air, 55.4 minutes versus ground, 36.7 minutes, p < 0.01). Total transport time differed by only 27 minutes between groups. No difference was identified in morbidity or mortality between air and ground groups. Actual mortality was not significantly different from predicted mortality in either group. The cost of ground transportation was significantly lower (air, $4,236 versus ground, $1,566). When our system of a combined air and ground group transport system is compared with a hypothetical 100% air transport system, we saved an average of more than $240,000 annually.

CONCLUSIONS

We have demonstrated that a "hub-and-spoke" ground transportation system supplements air transportation in a safe, timely, and cost-effective manner.

Healthcare organizations and patient transfers: a transportation industry perspective

A major restructuring is underway in Ontario in the delivery of a wide range of public services, including healthcare, public transit and ambulance services. The resulting trends in these three industries have converged in a number of models for the delivery of non-emergency patient transfers. Hospitals find themselves involved in the business of transportation: engaged in new partnerships, and making new choices, to manage the movement of stable patients between sites, to medical procedures and to return home.

Cost-effectiveness and choice of infant transport systems

OBJECTIVE

To compare cost-effectiveness of three types of infant transport models (Emergency Medical Technicians [EMT], Registered Nurses [RN], or Combined Teams [CT] of RNs and Respiratory Therapists) and to derive a decision model to guide choice of a transport system.

RESEARCH DESIGN

A prospective, multicenter, observational study was conducted to compare infant physiologic status before and after transport. Cost-effectiveness analysis from the perspective of the third-party payer, sensitivity analysis and threshold analysis were performed.

SUBJECTS

All (n = 1931) out born infants with complete transport data admitted to 11 regional tertiary-level Canadian NICUs from January 1996 to October 1997.

MEASURES

Change in Transport Risk Index of Physiologic Stability (TRIPS) Score before and after transport, transport costs.

RESULTS

Change in TRIPS was predicted by gestational age at transport, transport duration, and pretransport TRIPS score, but not the type (EMT, RN, CT) of transport team, mode (air/ground) or direction (forward/retrograde) of transport, presence of a physician, and other baseline population risks (sex, small for gestational age, antenatal corticosteroid treatment, Apgar score). The RN model is least costly under most assumptions. At high transport volumes (>2760 transports per year) and long average transport times (>6.8 h per transport), the EMT model was less costly. Cost drivers of transport were volume of transport, relative wages of transport personnel, and percent of waiting time dedicated to infant transport.

CONCLUSIONS

A deterministic decision-analytic model can be used to model transport cost-effectiveness and derive a threshold analytic chart for identifying the least costly transport model.

Ambulance services move to a new payment method

As payments for ambulance services undergo a transition away from a system based on reasonable costs, healthcare organizations need to establish billing practices in accordance with the fee schedule mandated by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. Of particular interest is the development of a new coding system for ambulance claims reports and payment increases for ambulance service in rural areas.

Medicare ambulance service

Medicare coverage of ambulance services is a topic that receives little attention in educational materials but is a major source of confusion for people with Medicare, their families and professionals. In this brief we discuss and clarify coverage issues and payment policies for ambulance services, including the potential costs for consumers. We conclude with a look at situations where appeals of denial of payment for these services may be appropriate.

Using helicopters for secondary transfer--does the patient benefit?

In common with many expensive, high-technology devices, helicopters have been introduced into medical practice without the systematic assessment of benefit (if any). The civilian use of helicopters has evolved from a military role in evacuating casualties and is now increasingly directed towards secondary transfer of patients between hospitals as well as primary retrieval from the community. Whilst cost restraints have delayed the development of such services in the UK they have become increasingly available in the last decade. Helicopters are fast, once airborne, have a high profile and generate considerable enthusiasm, but they carry the disadvantages of increased response time, increased time at scene, space restriction, noise, lower safety margins, weather and daylight dependence, and high cost. When considering secondary transfer, it is highly unlikely that the advantage of speed in the air outweighs these disadvantages. Although studies are limited, none has shown any advantage for helicopter against road transport in either primary or secondary transport. The money required to run a helicopter service would be far better spent on establishing properly-equipped and trained road-based retrieval teams who can stabilise the patient on site and then continue treatment in transit, particularly as it has actually been shown that this approach can be used to transfer critically-ill patients without significant deterioration.

Cost-benefit analysis of ambulance and rescue helicopters in Norway: reflections on assigning a monetary value to saving a human life

This paper reports the results of a cost-benefit analysis undertaken in 1996 for a public commission set up to plan the future operation of state-owned ambulance and rescue helicopters in Norway. The analysis indicates that the benefits of ambulance missions flown by helicopters exceeds the costs by a factor of almost six. To do this analysis it was necessary to assign a monetary value to human life. Traditionally this has not been done in medicine, and may be widely regarded as inconsistent with medical ethics. The results of the cost-benefit analysis serve as the starting point to a more general discussion surrounding the economic value of activities designed to reduce human mortality. It is concluded that human preferences for the provision of health care or other life-saving interventions are probably too complex to be adequately represented by means of a single monetary value expressing the benefits of life-saving. The task of developing an inclusive framework for a normative approach to priority setting in injury prevention is daunting, and may be insoluble. It is important to assess the extent to which current value-of-life estimates depend on study methods and social context.

The impact of information technology on emergency health care outcomes

We analyze the productivity of information technology in emergency response systems. "Enhanced 911" (E911) is information technology that links caller identification to a location database and so speeds up emergency response. We assess the impact of E911 on health outcomes using Pennsylvania ambulance and hospital records between 1994 and 1996, a period of substantial adoption. We find that as a result of E911 adoption, patient health measured at the time of ambulance arrival improves, suggesting that E911 speeds up emergency response. Further analysis using hospital discharge data shows that E911 reduces mortality and hospital costs.

[Costs of chronic dialysis in a public hospital: myths and realities]

In this study regular dialysis treatment costs during 1998 and 1999 in a public hospital, which is responsible for a population of 178,000, has been analysed. Hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) costs have been differentiated and compared with those of external providers. The best technical and productive efficiency of both treatments have been estimated by analyzing the "treatment cost/human resources of the community utilized" relationship. The HD treatment costs per patient per year were 20,343 and 18,871 euros in 1988 and 1,999, respectively, lower than the costs reported in other studies. In 1999 these costs were similar to those of external providers and lower than the PD treatment costs (23,295 euros). HD retains its advantage even after costs of erythropoietin, hospital admissions and transport are included. In the hospital studied, the best technical efficiency in HD would be reached with 64 patients on treatment (17,851 euros per patient per year) and in PD with 48 patients (21,167 euros per patient per year). If we take into account our population characteristics and consider a patient distribution of 70% on HD and 30% on PD, the best productive efficiency would be reached with 56 patients on HD (17,916 euros per patient per year) and 24 patients on PD (21,813 euros per patient per year). HD confers the greatest economic and social benefits on the population supplied by the hospital since it provides the community with more jobs than PD in relation to treatment costs while the two yield the same clinical results. In conclusion, HD in a public hospital, at least in our environment, may be efficient and competitive with HD from external providers and it may be more efficient and provide a bigger economic and social profit for the population serviced by the hospital than PD, at least while the current supply systems for this treatment in our country are maintained.

Cost-benefit of trained transport teams: estimates for head-injured children

INTRODUCTION

Care during transport influences the outcome of head-injured children. Secondary adverse events, e.g., hypotension and hypoxia, worsen morbidity and mortality. Trained transport teams lower the incidence of such secondary "insults."

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the cost-benefit of improved care from trained escorts.

METHODS

The setting was a provincial air ambulance service during transition to trained pediatric escort paramedics. A retrospective review of transport and hospital records for a 12-month period was conducted. All children with head injuries (n = 43) transported to tertiary care [11 by untrained escorts (UE), 32 by trained escorts (TE)] were enrolled. Severity of injury was classified by Glasgow Coma Score (GCS); incidence of adverse events was counted and cost of change of severity resulting from preventable insults was estimated using published care costs.

RESULTS

There were 13 preventable insults in six patients (55%) in the UE group and five preventable insults in four patients (12%) in the TE group (p<0.05). Among those in the UE group, two changed in severity from moderate to severe, one moderate worsened (decrease in GCS of 2 or more), and two severe worsened. In the TE group, there were no changes >1. Cost-benefit estimates based on change in severity were $136,000 (median) to $238,000 (mean).

CONCLUSION

Significant cost-benefit likely accrues from training escorts who transport children with significant head injuries to tertiary care.

Costs of health care and social services during the first year after ischemic stroke

OBJECTIVES

Knowledge of resource use and costs can be useful when evaluating existing services or planning new services. This study investigates the use of health care and social services during the first year after a stroke. Total costs are calculated, costs are compared across subgroups of patients, and resource items of major importance for the total costs are identified.

METHODS

The study is based on a database comprising data on all stroke patients admitted to a university hospital in Copenhagen, Denmark, over a 1-year period, 1994-95. Patients were followed for 1 year after the stroke, and data on resource use during and after hospitalization were collected prospectively at interviews. This paper focuses on a subset of 385 patients who were admitted because of cerebral infarct or unspecified stroke.

RESULTS

The mean cost, based on all patients, of health care and social services during the first year was 142,900 DKK (US $25,500). The hospital care until the first discharge, including acute care and rehabilitation, cost 101,600 Danish krones (DKK) (US $18,100), i.e., 71% of the total cost. Major resource items after discharge were nursing homes, readmissions, outpatient rehabilitation, and home help. The cost during the first year varied with a number of factors, with the most important being survival and degree of disability. Patients who survived the acute phase and who had severe disability (Barthel Activities of Daily Living [ADL] Index: 0-9) 7-10 days after admission had a total cost during the first year that was five times as high as patients with no disability (Barthel ADL Index: 20).

CONCLUSION

Costs of health care and social services during the first year after a stroke vary considerably. Disability as measured with the Barthel ADL Index is a stronger predictor of costs than Scandinavian Stroke Scale scores and other clinical and demographic variables.

Heart transplantation in children in foreign countries with reference to medical, transportation, and financial issues

Heart transplantation is increasingly becoming accepted worldwide as therapy for end-stage heart failure not only in adult patients but also in pediatric practice. The new law in Japan for organ transplantation from brain-dead patients was established on 16 October 1998, but there is no definite law or protocol for brain death in children under the age of 6 years and children less than 15 years of age cannot become donors. These facts make organ transplantation from the cadavers of neonates, infants and young children almost impossible in Japan, even though there are children who need heart or heart-lung transplantation. The present authors have to date transferred 8 patients to the USA or Germany for heart transplantation: 4 successfully underwent heart transplantation, but 4 died during the waiting period overseas. There are many things to consider; not only the medical problems involved in transportation, but also the financial issues when transferring patients to other countries. This report details the experience with the 8 cases that were transferred overseas for heart transplantation, and highlights the problems that need to be considered.

What does it cost the patient to see the doctor?

Against a background of increasing demands on limited resources, there will be an emphasis on undertaking studies that relate benefits of an intervention to the costs that are incurred in their production. Patient costs are an important, but often overlooked, part of an economic exercise and include transport costs, loss of employment, and loss of leisure time. This paper highlights the theoretical difficulties inherent in deriving patient costs and suggests a pragmatic framework to derive unit costs in these areas. We demonstrate that these costs are not inconsiderable when compared with the cost of a general practitioner consultation.

Scene disposition and mode of transport following rural trauma: a prospective cohort study comparing patient costs

This prospective cohort study was performed from 1994 to 1996 to compare the impact of scene disposition on prehospital and hospital costs incurred by rural trauma patients transported to a trauma center by helicopter or ground ambulance. The study included all rural adult injury victims who arrived at the tertiary trauma center by ambulance within 24 h of injury. Inclusion criteria consisted of inpatient admission or death in the emergency department, and any traumatic injury except burns. Data collected included mortality, mode of transport, Injury Severity Score (ISS), and costs from impact to discharge or death. Of 105 study patients, 52 initially went to a rural hospital, while 53 went directly to the trauma center. There was no significant difference in survival in the two groups. The ISS was significantly higher for patients taken directly to the trauma center from the scene. The ISS of trauma patients transported from the rural hospital was highest for patients sent by ground transport. The prehospital transport costs were significantly more for patients transported to a rural hospital first. The costs incurred at the trauma center were highest for those patients transported directly from the scene. Many severely injured patients were initially transported to a rural hospital rather than directly to the trauma center. At both the scene and rural hospital, consistent use of triage criteria appeared to be lacking in determining the severity of injury, appropriate destination, and mode of transport for trauma patients. Since no significant difference in prehospital helicopter and ground transport costs was demonstrated, the decision on mode of transport should be in the best interest of patient care.

Ambulance service and managed care: the MCO perspective

EMS and managed care can coexist, but it requires communication and flexibility on both sides. If the managed care organizations whose members you service haven't taken steps to contact you regarding these issues, your management can certainly take the initiative in requesting a meeting. In a typical MCO, transportation is a very small percentage of the overall budget, and day-to-day communications with service providers may be overlooked in dealing with larger financial considerations until there's a problem. After a problem has occurred is not the right time to attempt to establish a relationship. Communication, regardless of who takes the first step, can avoid this scenario. Remember, transportation is your area of expertise, not theirs, and most companies will appreciate your efforts to discuss issues before they become problems.

Referral revisited: community financing schemes and emergency transport in rural Africa

Referral between first and second levels of care in rural African health systems is an extremely complex problem. Problems that have plagued the process of referral include poor service quality, low availability of trained personnel, inadequate supplies of drugs and medical diagnostic equipment and inadequate communication infrastructure. In this paper, the authors analyse the role of transport costs in the utilization of referral and how community health insurance schemes can help reduce the economic burden of transport costs, thereby improving referral utilization and health outcomes. Following the introduction, the authors provide a conceptual framework of the individual-, household- and community-level factors that affect referral in the rural African context, with particular emphasis on the role of the time and monetary costs of transport and the potential role of community risk-sharing schemes. The paper then presents a detailed case study from Kenya where a community has been experimenting with a health insurance scheme which provides emergency transport for emergency referral. Data from the past eight years of experience in northern Kenya suggests that support for the insurance scheme has depended on the reliability of the health system, as well as the seasons and various external problems, such as political interference, drought and insecurity. Conclusions drawn support the idea of community financing schemes for transport, not merely as a life-saving strategy in remote and resource-poor health infrastructures, but also as a means to help build trust in the health system itself and thus improve sustainability through local institutional support.