A recent study conducted by the AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center shows that recurring Clostridioides difficile infections can be a substantial financial burden on hospitals. The study, published in Cambridge Core on September 29, analyzed data gathered from 29 patients who had been admitted to Pomano-based AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center at least three times due to C. diff between January 2017 and December 2020.
The researchers relied on patients’ medical records to calculate total hospitalization costs. The 29 patients involved in the case study made up 108 admissions, totaled 1,006 inpatient hospital days, and accounted for 74 ICU days over the duration of observation. Data showed that these patients had a median of three admissions, with a median length of stay of seven days.
The total estimated costs associated with these hospitalizations summed up to $3,352,400. However, the estimated reimbursement received was significantly lower, capped at $1,119,043. Therefore, the net loss due to C. diff infection-related hospitalizations was calculated to be $2,232,997 over the four-year period. Per patient, this cost approximates to a net loss of $77,000 within the four-year study period.
The authors of the study assert that the calculated financial losses may be even higher. Their analysis was based on the assumption of full reimbursement, which is not always the case in real-world situations. As such, the true cost to the hospital for recurring C. diff infections could be considerably larger than what their study reports.