The impact of global budgeting in Taiwan on inpatients with unexplained fever

Liu, Keh-Sen; Yu, Tsung-Fu; Wu, Hsing-Ju; Lin, Chun-Yi

The mean LOS before adoption of the GB was 4.22 ± 0.35 days and the mean LOS after implementation of the system was 5.29 ± 0.70 days. The mean diagnostic costs before and after the GB system went into effect were NT$1,440.05 ± 97.43 and NT $2,224.34 ± 238.36, respectively. The mean drug costs increased from NT$3,249.90 ± 1,108.27 at baseline to NT$4,272.31 ± 1,466.90 after adoption of the GB system. The mean therapy costs before and after GB were NT$421.03 ± 100.03 and NT $2,217.03 ± 672.20, respectively. The mean total costs increased from NT$13,866.77 ± 2,114.95 at baseline to NT$22,856.41 ± 4,196.28 after the system went into effect. The mean 3-day ED revisiting rate decreased from 10.5% ± 2.7% at baseline to 6.3% ± 2.2% after adoption of the GB system. The mean 14-day readmission rates before and after GB were 8.3% ± 2.4% and 4.0% ± 1.7%, respectively. There were significant differences in LOS, diagnostic costs, therapy costs, total costs, 3-day ED revisiting rate, and 14-day readmission rate before and after implementation of the GB system among patients with www.md-journal.com unexplained fever (P = .03, P = .001, P < .001, P = .01, P = .02, P = .04, respectively). There was no significant difference in drug costs before and after the GB among patients with unexplained fever (P = .19) ( Table 2) .