@article{ref1,
title="The hospital cost of road traffic accidents at a South African regional trauma centre: A micro-costing study",
journal="Injury",
year="2014",
author="Parkinson, F. and Kent, S. J. W. and Aldous, C. and Oosthuizen, G. and Clarke, D.",
volume="45",
number="1",
pages="342-345",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Road traffic crashes are responsible for a vast amount of death and disability in developing countries. This study uses a bottom up, micro-costing approach to determine the cost of road traffic related crashes in South Africa. METHODS: Using the data from one hundred consecutive RTC related admissions to a regional hospital in South Africa we performed a bottom up costing study. To calculate costs patients were reviewed every 48h and all interventions were recorded for each individual patient. Prices of interventions were obtained from hospital pricelists. A total cost was calculated on an individual basis. RESULTS: The total cost of in-patient care for these patients was US $6,98,850. Upper limb injuries were the most expensive, and the total cost increased with the number of body regions injured. The biggest expenditure was on ward overheads ($2,81,681). Ninety operations were performed - the total cost of theatre time was $1,48,230 and the cost of orthopaedic implants was $1,26,487. CONCLUSION: The cost of care of a RTC victim is significant. In light of the high numbers of RTC victims admitted over the course of the year this is a significant cost burden for a regional hospital to bear. This cost must be taken into account when allocating hospital budgets.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0020-1383",
doi="10.1016/j.injury.2013.04.007",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.injury.2013.04.007"
}