[Budget impact analysis of a blood saving program for urgent traumatological surgery]. / Análisis del impacto presupuestario de la implantación de medidas de ahorro de sangre en cirugía de urgencia.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To assess the cost-effectiveness and the budget impact of a Blood Saving Program (BSP) in patients older than 65 undergoing perthrocanteric hip fracture surgery. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Two groups of patients with perthrocanteric fracture were included. Group 1: patients not receiving treatment for perisurgical anaemia or treated with oral iron; Group 2: patients included in a BSP (treatment with endovenous iron sucrose and alfa epoetin, plus restrictive transfusional criteria). Effectiveness issues were: transfusion rate and number of red blood cell units transfused, length of postoperative stay and infection rate. Treatment cost was calculated using drug and transfused red blood cell unit prizes in 2003. We calculated potential patient population according to 2003 data. RESULTS: 144 patients were included, 43 of which were in the BSP. Both groups were comparable in gender, age, preoperative length of stay, ASA and haemoglobin level at admission. Patients included in the BSP were less transfused and had less infections but postoperative stay was similar in both groups. The budget impact was 239,148 euros 95% [confidence interval (CI) 202,312-311,980] at group 1 and 311,980 euros [95% CI 275,288-348,672] at the BSP group. Including the whole potential population in the BSP (during one year 400 patients) would mean a cost increase of 72,832 euros, avoiding transfusion in 92 patients, infection in 70 patients, and saving 328 red blood cell units. CONCLUSIONS: The cost increase due to endovenous iron sucrose and alfa-epoetin can be considered affordable for the hospital budget. BSP provides lower transfusion and infection rates and saves red blood cell units, compared to the standard procedure. Differences in postoperative stay should be analyzed in further larger and prospective studies including more patients.

Análisis del impacto presupuestario de la implantación de medidas de ahorro de sangre en cirugía de urgencia / Budget impact analysis of a blood saving program for urgent traumatological surgery

Fundamento y objetivo: El objetivo de este trabajo es estudiar la relación coste-efectividad y el impacto presupuestario que supone para un hospital el establecimiento de un programa de ahorro de sangre alogénica en pacientes ancianos intervenidos quirúrgicamente de fractura de cadera pertrocantérea. Pacientes y método: Se incluyó 2 grupos de pacientes. Grupo 1: pacientes sin tratamiento farmacológico de la anemia perioperatoria o que recibieron hierro oral; y Grupo 2: pacientes incluidos en un programa de ahorro de sangre con criterios transfusionales restrictivos y tratamiento con hierro sacarato intravenoso y epoetina alfa. Se definieron como parámetros de efectividad el porcentaje de transfusiones y el número de concentrados de hematíes transfundidos, la duración de la estancia postoperatoria y el porcentaje de infección hospitalaria. Los costes de tratamiento se calcularon usando el precio de venta a farmacia (PVF) de los fármacos y los costes de unidades de sangre transfundidas y cruzadas en el año 2003 según tarifas oficiales. Se utilizó el año 2003 para establecer la población prevalente. Resultados: Se incluyó a 144 pacientes estudiados de marzo a septiembre de 2003 (101 en el grupo 1 y 43 en el grupo 2). Ambos grupos fueron comparables en sexo, edad, tiempo prequirúrgico, riesgo quirúrgico (ASA) y valores de hemoglobina al ingreso. Los pacientes incluidos en el programa de ahorro de sangre recibieron menos transfusiones y presentaron menos infecciones, aunque la estancia posquirúrgica fue similar en ambos grupos. El impacto presupuestario fue 239.148 euros (intervalo de confianza [IC] del 95%, 202.312-311.980 euros) en el grupo 1 y 311.980 euros (IC del 95%, 275.288-348.672 euros) en el programa de ahorro de sangre. La generalización del ahorro de sangre a toda la población prevalente en 2003 (400 pacientes) supondría un aumento medio de costes para el hospital de 72.832 euros, se evitaría transfusiones a 92 pacientes y se ahorraría 328 concentrados de hematíes y 70 infecciones hospitalarias. Conclusiones: El aumento en el gasto que implica la generalización del uso del hierro sacarato intravenoso y la epoetina alfa no se considera especialmente gravoso para el presupuesto del hospital. Este incremento en el coste evita transfusiones sanguíneas, bolsas de sangre e infecciones hospitalarias, pero no queda del todo claro en qué supuestos disminuye la estancia media, punto que se debería analizar con estudios prospectivos o de mayor tamaño muestral

Background and objetive: To assess the cost-effectiveness and the budget impact of a Blood Saving Program (BSP) in patients older than 65 undergoing perthrocanteric hip fracture surgery. Patients and method: Two groups of patients with perthrocanteric fracture were included. Group 1: patients not receiving treatment for perisurgical anaemia or treated with oral iron; Group 2: patients included in a BSP (treatment with endovenous iron sucrose and alfa epoetin, plus restrictive transfusional criteria). Effectiveness issues were: transfusion rate and number of red blood cell units transfused, length of postoperative stay and infection rate. Treatment cost was calculated using drug and transfused red blood cell unit prizes in 2003. We calculated potential patient population according to 2003 data. Results: 144 patients were included, 43 of which were in the BSP. Both groups were comparable in gender, age, preoperative length of stay, ASA and haemoglobin level at admission. Patients included in the BSP were less transfused and had less infections but postoperative stay was similar in both groups. The budget impact was 239,148 euros 95% [confidence interval (CI) 202,312-311,980] at group 1 and 311,980 euros [95% CI 275,288-348,672] at the BSP group. Including the whole potential population in the BSP (during one year 400 patients) would mean a cost increase of 72,832 euros, avoiding transfusion in 92 patients, infection in 70 patients, and saving 328 red blood cell units. Conclusions: The cost increase due to endovenous iron sucrose and alfa-epoetin can be considered affordable for the hospital budget. BSP provides lower transfusion and infection rates and saves red blood cell units, compared to the standard procedure. Differences in postoperative stay should be analyzed in further larger and prospective studies including more patients