RESUMO
We study whether vouchers without and with value information encourage attendance of already free follow-up appointments among low-income minority individuals referred for evaluation of possible eye disease. Between May 2017 and September 2018, 821 individuals referred from 114 screening events across Baltimore City were offered (1) standard referral for a free follow-up appointment and prescription glasses, (2) a paper voucher described as redeemable for free follow-up and prescription glasses, or (3) an otherwise identical paper voucher which also indicated the monetary value of the appointment ($250). Under all three conditions, all referred individuals received the same patient education, counseling, and appointment reminders. We find that vouchers without and with value information increase follow-up by 12.5 and 20.3 percentage points, respectively, corresponding to a 36% and 58% increase compared to the standard referral for free follow-up (i.e., without a voucher). We conclude that using vouchers is a promising, low-cost approach to increase uptake of already free health services, particularly when the vouchers also provide value information.
Assuntos
Agendamento de Consultas , Aconselhamento , HumanosRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Effective and financially viable mitigation approaches are needed to reduce bacterial contamination of platelets in the US. Expected costs of large-volume delayed sampling (LVDS), which would be performed by a blood center prior to shipment to a hospital, were compared to those of pathogen reduction (PR), point-of-release testing (PORt), and secondary bacterial culture (SBC). METHODS: Using a Markov-based decision-tree model, the financial and clinical impact of implementing all variants of LVDS, PR, PORt, and SBC described in FDA guidance were evaluated from a hospital perspective. Hospitals were assumed to acquire leukoreduced apheresis platelets, with LVDS adding $30 per unit. Monte Carlo simulations were run to estimate the direct medical costs for platelet acquisition, testing, transfusion, and possible complications associated with each approach. Input parameters, including test sensitivity and specificity, were drawn from existing literature and costs (2018US$) were based on a hospital perspective. A one-way sensitivity analysis varied the assumed additional cost of LVDS. RESULTS: Under an approach of LVDS (7-day), the total cost per transfused unit is $735.78, which falls between estimates for SBC (7-day) and PORt. Assuming 20,000 transfusions each year, LVDS would cost $14.72 million annually. Per-unit LVDS costs would need to be less than $22.32 to be cheaper per transfusion than all other strategies, less than $32.02 to be cheaper than SBC (7-day), and less than $196.19 to be cheaper than PR (5-day). CONCLUSIONS: LVDS is an effective and cost-competitive approach, assuming additional costs to blood centers and associated charges to hospitals are modest.
Assuntos
Infecções Bacterianas/prevenção & controle , Contaminação de Medicamentos/prevenção & controle , Controle de Infecções , Transfusão de Plaquetas/economia , Transfusão de Plaquetas/estatística & dados numéricos , Plaquetoferese , Cultura Primária de Células/economia , Infecções Bacterianas/economia , Infecções Bacterianas/epidemiologia , Infecções Bacterianas/transmissão , Bancos de Sangue/economia , Bancos de Sangue/normas , Bancos de Sangue/estatística & dados numéricos , Plaquetas/microbiologia , Segurança do Sangue/economia , Segurança do Sangue/métodos , Segurança do Sangue/normas , Coleta de Amostras Sanguíneas/efeitos adversos , Coleta de Amostras Sanguíneas/economia , Coleta de Amostras Sanguíneas/normas , Coleta de Amostras Sanguíneas/estatística & dados numéricos , Custos e Análise de Custo , Testes Diagnósticos de Rotina/economia , Testes Diagnósticos de Rotina/normas , Testes Diagnósticos de Rotina/estatística & dados numéricos , Contaminação de Medicamentos/economia , Contaminação de Medicamentos/estatística & dados numéricos , Estudos de Viabilidade , Humanos , Ciência da Implementação , Controle de Infecções/economia , Controle de Infecções/métodos , Técnicas Microbiológicas , Plaquetoferese/efeitos adversos , Plaquetoferese/economia , Plaquetoferese/métodos , Plaquetoferese/normas , Cultura Primária de Células/métodos , Cultura Primária de Células/normas , Cultura Primária de Células/estatística & dados numéricos , Comportamento de Redução do Risco , Tamanho da Amostra , Fatores de Tempo , Tempo para o Tratamento/economia , Tempo para o Tratamento/estatística & dados numéricos , Reação Transfusional/economia , Reação Transfusional/epidemiologia , Reação Transfusional/microbiologia , Reação Transfusional/prevenção & controleRESUMO
BACKGROUND: In 2019, the United States Food and Drug Administration published its final recommendations to mitigate bacterial contamination of platelets. We sought to evaluate our secondary bacterial culture (SBC) strategy in light of those recommendations. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted of SBC data (October 2016-2019) at our institution. SBC was performed upon receipt (Day 3 after collection); 5 mL of platelet product was inoculated aseptically into an aerobic bottle and incubated at 35°C for 3 days. For 8 months, a 10-mL inoculum was trialed. No quarantine was applied. All positive cultures underwent Gram staining and repeat culture of the platelet product (if available). A probable true positive was defined as concordant positive culture between the initial and repeat culture. The incidence of probable true- and false-positive cultures were reported descriptively and differences evaluated by sampling volume. RESULTS: Over 3 years, 55 896 platelet products underwent SBC, yielding 30 initial positive results (approx. 1/1863 platelets); 25 (83.3%) signaled within 24 hours of SBC. The rates of probable true positive, false positive, and indeterminate for 5 mL were 0.027% (1/3771), 0.002% (1/45 251) and 0.018% (1/5656), respectively. The respective rates for 10 mL were 0.018% (1/5323), 0.07% (1/1521), and 0%. Seven of eight (87.5%) false-positive SBCs occurred with a 10-mL inoculum. No septic transfusion reactions were reported. CONCLUSION: SBC continues to interdict bacterially contaminated units of platelets. Our findings suggest higher rates of false positivity using large-volume inocula.
Assuntos
Infecções Bacterianas , Técnicas Bacteriológicas , Hemocultura , Transfusão de Plaquetas/efeitos adversos , Sepse , Reação Transfusional , Infecções Bacterianas/sangue , Infecções Bacterianas/etiologia , Infecções Bacterianas/microbiologia , Infecções Bacterianas/prevenção & controle , Plaquetas , Humanos , Estudos Retrospectivos , Sepse/sangue , Sepse/etiologia , Sepse/microbiologia , Sepse/prevenção & controle , Reação Transfusional/sangue , Reação Transfusional/microbiologia , Reação Transfusional/prevenção & controle , Estados UnidosRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Bacterial contamination of platelets remains the leading infectious risk from blood transfusion. Pathogen reduction (PR), point-of-release testing (PORt), and secondary bacterial culture (SBC) have been proposed as alternative risk control strategies, but a comprehensive financial comparison has not been conducted. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A Markov-based decision tree was constructed to model the financial and clinical impact of PR, PORt, and SBC, as well as a baseline strategy involving routine testing only. Hospitals were assumed to acquire leukoreduced apheresis platelets on Day 3 after collection, and, in the base case analysis, expiration would occur at the end of Day 5 (PR and SBC) or 7 (PORt). Monte Carlo simulations assessed the direct medical costs for platelet acquisition, testing, transfusion, and possible complications. Input parameters, including test sensitivity and specificity, were drawn from existing literature, and costs (2018 US dollars) were based on a hospital perspective. RESULTS: The total costs per unit acquired by the hospital under the baseline strategy, PR, PORt, and SBC were $651.45, $827.82, $686.33, and $668.50, respectively. All risk-reduction strategies decreased septic transfusion reactions and associated expenses, with the greatest reductions from PR. PR would add $191.09 in per-unit acquisition costs, whereas PORt and SBC would increase per-unit testing costs by $31.79 and $17.26, respectively. Financial outcomes were sensitive to platelet dating; allowing 7-day storage with SBC would lead to a cost savings of $12.41 per transfused unit. Results remained robust in probabilistic sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSIONS: All three strategies are viable approaches to reducing bacterially contaminated platelet transfusions, although SBC is likely to be the cheapest overall.
Assuntos
Plaquetas/microbiologia , Desinfecção/economia , Modelos Econômicos , Transfusão de Plaquetas/economia , Custos e Análise de Custo , Humanos , Método de Monte CarloRESUMO
BACKGROUND: The pathogenesis of alloimmunization is not well understood, and initiatives that aim to reduce the incidence of alloimmunization are generally expensive and either ineffective or unproven. In this review, we summarize the current medical literature regarding alloimmunization in the sickle cell disease (SCD) population, with a special focus on the financial implications of different approaches to prevent alloimmunization. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A review of EMBASE and MEDLINE data from January 2006 through January 2016 was conducted to identify articles relating to complications of SCD. The search was specifically designed to capture articles that evaluated the costs of various strategies to prevent alloimmunization and its sequelae. RESULTS: Currently, there is no proven, inexpensive way to prevent alloimmunization among individuals with SCD. Serologic matching programs are not uniformly successful in preventing alloimmunization, particularly to Rh antigens, because of the high frequency of variant Rh alleles in the SCD population. A genotypic matching program could offer some cost savings compared to a serologic matching program, but the efficacy of gene matching for the prevention of alloimmunization is largely unproven, and large-scale implementation could be expensive. CONCLUSIONS: Future reductions in the costs associated with genotype matching could make a large-scale program economically feasible. Novel techniques to identify patients at highest risk for alloimmunization could improve the cost effectiveness of antigen matching programs. A clinical trial comparing the efficacy of serologic matching to genotype matching would be informative.
Assuntos
Anemia Falciforme/terapia , Incompatibilidade de Grupos Sanguíneos/prevenção & controle , Tipagem e Reações Cruzadas Sanguíneas/métodos , Transfusão de Sangue/métodos , Anemia Falciforme/imunologia , Incompatibilidade de Grupos Sanguíneos/economia , Tipagem e Reações Cruzadas Sanguíneas/economia , Transfusão de Sangue/economia , Análise Custo-Benefício , Genótipo , Humanos , Reação TransfusionalRESUMO
Randomized trials have demonstrated that male circumcision (MC) reduces heterosexual acquisition of HIV, herpes simplex virus type 2, human papillomavirus (HPV), and genital ulcer disease among men, and it reduces HPV, genital ulcer disease, bacterial vaginosis, and trichomoniasis among female partners. The pathophysiology behind these effects is multifactorial, relying on anatomic and cellular changes. MC is cost effective and potentially cost saving in both the United States and Africa. The World Health Organization and Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS proposed reaching 80% MC coverage in HIV endemic countries, but current rates fall far behind targets. Barriers to scale-up include supply-side and demand-side challenges. In the United States, neonatal MC rates are decreasing, but the American Academy of Pediatrics now recognizes the medical benefits of MC and supports insurance coverage. Although MC is a globally valuable tool to prevent HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, it is underutilized. Further research is needed to address barriers to MC uptake.
Assuntos
Circuncisão Masculina/estatística & dados numéricos , Países em Desenvolvimento , Doenças Bacterianas Sexualmente Transmissíveis/prevenção & controle , Doenças Virais Sexualmente Transmissíveis/prevenção & controle , África Subsaariana , Circuncisão Masculina/economia , Análise Custo-Benefício , Cultura , Feminino , Infecções por HIV/prevenção & controle , Recursos em Saúde/provisão & distribuição , Humanos , Cobertura do Seguro , Masculino , Medicaid , Aceitação pelo Paciente de Cuidados de Saúde , Estados UnidosRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn, classically caused by maternal-fetal incompatibility of the Rh blood group D antigen, can be prevented by RhIG prophylaxis. While prophylactic practices for pregnant women with serologic weak D phenotypes vary widely, RHD genotyping could provide clear guidance for management. This analysis evaluated the financial implications of using RHD genotyping to guide RhIG prophylaxis among pregnant females. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A Markov-based model was constructed to evaluate the costs of RHD genotyping for pregnant females with serologic weak D phenotypes to inform RhIG prophylaxis. Using a comparison strategy of managing these women conservatively as D-, direct medical costs were assessed over 10- and 20-year periods for a simulated population of US women. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were used to assess the robustness of conclusions. RESULTS: Using base-case variables, RHD genotyping for pregnant women with serologic weak D phenotypes is expected to marginally reduce overall costs. RHD genotyping these patients, rather than conservatively managing them as D-, would be cost-saving when the cost of genotyping is below $256. Genotyping would decrease net costs among non-Hispanic Caucasian females (-$0.17/pregnancy), but would increase costs among non-Hispanic African Americans (+$0.51/pregnancy), non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaskans (+$0.10/pregnancy), and Hispanics (+$0.37/pregnancy). Incorporating RHD genotyping would not significantly impact costs among Asians and Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders. CONCLUSIONS: Using RHD genotyping to guide RhIG prophylaxis among pregnant women with serologic weak D phenotypes may be clinically beneficial without increasing overall costs.
Assuntos
Eritroblastose Fetal , Técnicas de Genotipagem/economia , Modelos Econômicos , Sistema do Grupo Sanguíneo Rh-Hr/genética , Adulto , Custos e Análise de Custo , Eritroblastose Fetal/economia , Eritroblastose Fetal/genética , Eritroblastose Fetal/prevenção & controle , Feminino , Técnicas de Genotipagem/métodos , Humanos , Cadeias de Markov , Gravidez , Estados UnidosRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Sickle cell disease is associated with extensive health care utilization; estimated lifetime costs exceed $460,000 per patient. Approximately 30% of chronically transfused sickle cell patients become alloimmunized to red blood cell antigens, but these patients cannot be identified a priori. Prospective antigen matching can prevent alloimmunization, but is costly and may not benefit most patients. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A Markov-based model was constructed to compare the health and financial implications of four alternative antigen-matching strategies for chronically transfused sickle cell patients. The strategies varied by the group of patients receiving matched blood (all patients prophylactically or only patients with a history of alloimmunization [history-based]), and by the extent of antigen matching (limited to C, E, and K, or extended to 11 antigens). Direct medical costs and alloimmunization events were assessed over 10- and 20-year periods, for a hypothetical cohort of initially transfusion-naive patients and for a dynamic population. RESULTS: Within a hypothetical cohort of initially transfusion-naive patients, implementing prophylactic limited matching for all chronically transfused patients instead of history-based limited matching is expected to cost an additional $765.56 million over 10 years, but result in 2072 fewer alloimmunization events. Within the same cohort, implementing prospective extensive matching is expected to cost $1.86 billion more than history-based extensive matching, but result in 2424 fewer alloimmunization events. Averting a single alloimmunization event using prospective matching would cost $369,482 to $769,284. Among a dynamic population over 10 years, prospective limited matching is expected to cost $358.34 million more than history-based limited matching. CONCLUSIONS: While prospective matching for all transfused patients would reduce alloimmunization, this strategy requires considerable expenditure.
Assuntos
Anemia Falciforme/imunologia , Anemia Falciforme/terapia , Incompatibilidade de Grupos Sanguíneos/prevenção & controle , Tipagem e Reações Cruzadas Sanguíneas/economia , Transfusão de Eritrócitos/efeitos adversos , Eritrócitos/imunologia , Anemia Hemolítica/economia , Anemia Hemolítica/etiologia , Anemia Hemolítica/imunologia , Anemia Hemolítica/prevenção & controle , Anemia Falciforme/economia , Incompatibilidade de Grupos Sanguíneos/economia , Tipagem e Reações Cruzadas Sanguíneas/métodos , Análise Custo-Benefício , Árvores de Decisões , Transfusão de Eritrócitos/economia , Transfusão de Eritrócitos/métodos , Custos de Cuidados de Saúde , Humanos , Cadeias de MarkovRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Prophylactic antigen-matching can reduce alloimmunization rates among chronically transfused patients with sickle cell disease (SCD), but this matching increases costs and may only benefit 30% of patients. We assessed the clinical and financial value of a potential assay for alloimmunization risk that would allow for targeted antigen-matching. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A Markov-based model evaluated direct medical costs and alloimmunization events over 10 to 20 years among transfused (simple or exchange) patients with SCD. Four matching strategies were evaluated: prospective matching (for all patients), history-based matching (only for patients with prior alloimmunization), perfectly informed matching (assay with 100% sensitivity, 100% specificity), and imperfectly informed matching (reduced accuracy). Under all matching protocols, matching included C, E, K, and any additional alloantibodies present. A hospital perspective was adopted, with costs (2012US$) and events discounted (3%). RESULTS: Perfectly informed antigen-matching using a $1000 assay is expected to save $82,334 per patient over 10 years, compared to prospective matching. Perfectly informed antigen-matching is more costly than history-based matching, but reduces alloimmunization events by 45.6% over 10 years. Averting each alloimmunization event using this strategy would cost an additional $10,934 per patient. Imperfectly informed antigen-matching using an assay with 75% specificity and 75% sensitivity is less costly than prospective matching, but increases alloimmunization events. Compared to history-based matching, imperfectly informed matching would decrease alloimmunization events by 32.61%, at an additional cost of $147,915 per patient over 10 years. Cost-effectiveness of informed antigen-matching is largely driven by assay specificity. CONCLUSIONS: A sufficiently specific assay to inform antigen-matching may be cost-effective in reducing alloimmunization among transfused patients with SCD.
Assuntos
Anemia Falciforme/terapia , Doadores de Sangue , Antígenos de Grupos Sanguíneos/imunologia , Incompatibilidade de Grupos Sanguíneos/epidemiologia , Tipagem e Reações Cruzadas Sanguíneas/economia , Seleção do Doador/economia , Isoanticorpos/sangue , Reação Transfusional , Anemia Falciforme/economia , Anemia Falciforme/imunologia , Incompatibilidade de Grupos Sanguíneos/economia , Incompatibilidade de Grupos Sanguíneos/etiologia , Incompatibilidade de Grupos Sanguíneos/prevenção & controle , Transfusão de Sangue/economia , Análise Custo-Benefício , Custos e Análise de Custo , Técnicas de Apoio para a Decisão , Gastos em Saúde , Humanos , Cadeias de Markov , Prontuários Médicos/economia , Modelos Econômicos , Risco , Sensibilidade e Especificidade , Estados UnidosRESUMO
BACKGROUND: The financial implications of male circumcision (MC) scale-up in sub-Saharan Africa associated with reduced HIV have been evaluated. However, no analysis has incorporated the expected reduction of a comprehensive set of other sexually transmitted infections including human papillomavirus, herpes simplex virus type 2, genital ulcer disease, bacterial vaginosis, and trichomoniasis. METHODS: A Markov model tracked a dynamic population undergoing potential MC scale-up, as individuals experienced MC procedures, procedure-related adverse events, and MC-reduced sexually transmitted infections and accrued any associated costs. Rakai, Uganda, was used as a prototypical rural sub-Saharan African community. Monte Carlo microsimulations evaluated outcomes under 4 alternative scale-up strategies to reach 80% MC coverage among men aged 15 to 49 years, in addition to a baseline strategy defined by current MC rates in central Uganda. Financial outcomes included direct medical expenses only and were evaluated over 5 and 25 years. Costs were discounted to the beginning of each period, coinciding with the start of MC scale-up, and expressed in US $2012. RESULTS: Cost savings from infections averted by MC vary from US $197,531 after 5 years of a scale-up program focusing on adolescent/adult procedures to more than US $13 million after 25 years, under a strategy incorporating increased infant MCs. Over a 5-year period, reduction in HIV contributes to 50% of cost savings, and for 25 years, this contribution rises to nearly 90%. CONCLUSIONS: Sexually transmitted infections other than HIV contribute to cost savings associated with MC scale-up. Previous analyses, focusing exclusively on the financial impact through averted HIV, may have underestimated true cost savings by 10% to 50%.
Assuntos
Circuncisão Masculina/economia , Doenças dos Genitais Masculinos/economia , Herpes Genital/economia , Infecções por Papillomavirus/economia , Infecções Sexualmente Transmissíveis/economia , Tricomoníase/economia , Vaginose Bacteriana/economia , Adolescente , Adulto , Estudos de Coortes , Análise Custo-Benefício , Feminino , Doenças dos Genitais Masculinos/prevenção & controle , Herpes Genital/prevenção & controle , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Método de Monte Carlo , Infecções por Papillomavirus/prevenção & controle , Infecções Sexualmente Transmissíveis/prevenção & controle , Tricomoníase/prevenção & controle , Uganda , Vaginose Bacteriana/prevenção & controle , Adulto JovemRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Allergic transfusion reactions (ATRs) are among the most common complications of transfusion. Storage in platelet additive solution (PAS) has been shown to reduce ATRs from apheresis platelets (APs). This study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of using PAS storage as an alternative method to reduce ATRs. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A Markov-based decision tree was constructed to compare ATR rates and associated costs expected from current practice and from alternative strategies of using APs stored in PAS. The potential use of pretransfusion medication was also incorporated. Using a hospital perspective and including direct medical expenses only (US$2012), Monte Carlo microsimulations were run to evaluate outcomes under a base-case analysis. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were used to assess outcome uncertainty. RESULTS: Under base-case variables, using APs stored in PAS for all patients as an initial transfusion protocol is expected to avert ATRs and associated costs, compared to current practice. Using PAS for all patients along with pretransfusion medication would be cost-saving only when the additional cost of PAS is below $9.14. If PAS storage could eliminate pretransfusion medication use, it is expected to result in cost savings when the additional unit cost of PAS is under $11.90. At a PAS cost of $15, averting one ATR would cost $701.95. Using PAS storage only in response to recurring mild ATRs is associated with cost savings under all costs of PAS evaluated. CONCLUSIONS: Using PAS storage for all AP transfusions to prevent ATRs may be financially and clinically beneficial, compared to current practice.
Assuntos
Preservação de Sangue , Hipersensibilidade/prevenção & controle , Transfusão de Plaquetas/efeitos adversos , Análise Custo-Benefício , Humanos , Cadeias de Markov , Método de Monte Carlo , Transfusão de Plaquetas/economiaRESUMO
Standard theories of health provider behavior suggest that providers are motivated by both profit and an altruistic interest in patient health benefit. Detailed empirical data are seldom available to measure relative preferences between profit and patient health outcomes. Furthermore, it is difficult to empirically assess how these relative preferences affect quality of care. This study uses a unique dataset from rural Myanmar to assess heterogeneous preferences toward treatment efficacy relative to provider profit and the impact of these preferences on the quality of provider diagnosis and treatment. Using conjoint survey data from 187 providers, we estimated the marginal utilities of higher treatment efficacy and of higher profit, and the marginal rate of substitution between these outcomes. We also measured the quality of diagnosis and treatment for malaria among these providers using a previously validated observed patient simulation. There is substantial heterogeneity in providers' utility from treatment efficacy versus utility from higher profits. Higher marginal utility from treatment efficacy is positively associated with the quality of treatment among providers, and higher marginal utility from profit are negatively associated with quality of diagnosis. We found no consistent effect of the ratio of marginal utility of efficacy vs marginal utility of profit on quality of care. Our findings suggest that providers vary in their preferences towards profit and treatment efficacy, with those providers that place greater weight on treatment efficacy providing higher quality of care.
Assuntos
Instituições Privadas de Saúde , População Rural , Humanos , Mianmar , Qualidade da Assistência à SaúdeRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) after major cardiac operations is a potentially avoidable complication associated with increased morbidity, death, and costly long-term treatment. The financial impact of AKI at the population level has not been well defined. We sought to determine the incremental index hospital cost associated with the development of AKI. METHODS: All patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or valve replacement operations, or both (clinical classification software codes 43 and 44), between 2008 and 2011 were identified from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. AKI was identified using International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification diagnosis codes (584.xx); patients with chronic renal failure were excluded. Mean total index hospitalization costs were compared between patients with and without AKI. RESULTS: At the population level, 1,078,036 individuals underwent major cardiac procedures from 2008 to 2011, with AKI developing in 105,648 (9.8%). Specifically, AKI developed in 8.0% of CABG, 11.4% of valve replacement, and 17.0% of CABG plus valve replacement patients (p < 0.001). Death was more common among patients with AKI vs those without (13.9% vs 1.3%, p < 0.001). Mean total index hospitalization cost was $77,178 for patients with AKI vs $38,820 for those without (p < 0.001). At the national level, the overall incremental annual index hospitalization cost associated with AKI was $1.01 billion. CONCLUSIONS: AKI developed in 1 in every 10 patients nationwide after a cardiac operation. Achieving a 10% reduction in AKI in this population would likely result in an annual savings of approximately $100,000,000 in index-hospital costs alone. Support for research on mechanisms to detect impending damage and prevent AKI may lead to reduced patient morbidity and death and to substantial health care cost savings.