The Analysis of Direct Costs in Anesthesia

It is not enough known about differences in cost to provide anesthesia care for different surgical disciplines. Aims: In attention to check possibility for rationalization, study aims are: identification, measuring, economically evaluation and analyzing the costs of anesthesia care for different surgical disciplines.Methods: In this retrospective study, the authors determined the direct costs (intraoperative personnel cost, anesthetics, drugs, supplies, and others) for 32,267 consecutive anesthesia cases from a one-year period (2006), in the anesthesiology departments in their University hospitals, Clinical Center of Serbia. Using regression analysis, direct costs in all anesthesia departments were compared with avarage anesthesia duration. Realized direct costs were analysed by linear statistical model / SPSS 15 /, with the same “unit prices” of the National Health Insurance. Results: Direct costs didn’t show linear correlation and statistically relevant difference . regarding duration of anesthesia. There is no correlation summarised direct costs with the “unit price” anesthesia services. Realized direct costs anesthesiological services in comparison with personnel costs revealed highly statisticaly significance r=0,980; p=0,000. Realized direct costs anesthesiological services in comparison with drugs revealed highly statisticaly significance r=0,885; p=0,000. Conclusion: Methodology and database connected with corresponding surgical data base should be unique for anesthesiological work, anesthesia and respective procedures, in order to unify all elements of anesthesiological work in resuscitation, admission surgical and day surgical outpatient clinics designed for urgent and planned surgical interventions within surgical disciplines.