Archives of Health Science and Research
Original Articles

Cost Analysis of Suicide Attempts Followed by Emergency Department

1.

Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi Acil Tıp Kliniği, İstanbul, Türkiye

2.

İstanbul Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Fakültesi, İstanbul, Türkiye

Arch Health Sci Res 2018; 5: 120-128
DOI: 10.17681/hsp.351545
Read: 3101 Downloads: 952 Published: 15 December 2019

Aim: Suicide is a person's voluntary self-harm. The cost factors that can be measured by money are defined as cost analysis. In this study, the cost analysis of the patients' emergency and hospital processes was investigated in the suicide actions in almost all of the referral, diagnosis and treatment processes in the Emergency Department (ED). Methods: In the study, the data of 18 years old and over 120 patients who had applied to the Emergency Department of Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Education and Research Hospital of Health Sciences University with suicide attempt and computer records were retrospectively evaluated. The cost of examination, examination, treatment and consultation recorded in each hospital's hospital automation system was evaluated. Results: The mean age of the patients was 30.35 ± 10.18, while there were more patients between the ages of 18-24. 73.3% of the patients were female and 56.7% of all patients were married. 10.8% of the patients had suicide history previously. The most frequent type of suicide attempt was drug or toxic substance intake (94.2%). 33.3% of the patients were asked for a psychiatric consultation. 53.3% of the patients were discharged with ED, 18.4% were given intensive care and 5% were hospitalized. Only one patient died in the ED. Costs of the patients in ED (average 172.25 ± 76.65 TL) were close to hospital cost values (76.50 ± 78.81 TL). There was a statistically significant relationship between the length of stay (LOS) in ED and service cost (r = 0.491, p = 0.001). Conclusion: Approximately half of the patients who applied with suicidal action completed the diagnosis and treatment process in ED. The LOS in the ED increases the total patient cost. New protocols should be developed in the diagnosis and follow-up of these patients. 

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