Cost savings with transcutaneous screening versus total serum bilirubin measurement for newborn jaundice in hospital and community settings: a cost-minimization analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Leading authorities in North America recommend universal screening via total serum bilirubin (TSB) measurement or transcutaneous bilirubinometry (TcB) for kernicterus prevention. We assessed costs associated with these 2 screening methods in hospital and in urban and rural community settings.

Methods

Our tertiary care centre in Saskatoon, with about 5600 births per year, serves the local population of 300 000; in addition, 30% of patients are referred from outside the local community and surrounding area. We obtained health administrative data for two 6-month periods: before (June 1 to Nov. 30, 2015 [TSB program]) and after (June 1 to Nov. 30, 2016 [TcB-TSB program]) implementation of universal screening with TcB. Data on nurses' time and mileage were collected to

SUBMITTER: McClean S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6182126 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jul-Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature