Hospital inpatient care utilization among patients with tuberculosis, Republic of Ireland, 2015-2018.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The Republic of Ireland (ROI) has a low incidence of TB. A reform of TB services in 2003 recommended that the delivery of care to patients with TB should primarily be in the outpatient setting, with limited indications for hospitalization. Three hospitals were designated as TB centres. Our aim was to describe the utilization of hospital inpatient care by patients with TB in the ROI.

Methods

We searched public hospital coding data to identify discharges between 01/01/2015-31/12/18 where TB was the principal diagnosis. The cost of TB episodes of care was calculated using payment rules for public hospitals in the ROI.

Results

We identified 1185 discharges with TB as the principal diagnosis. Of these, 68% (801/1185) were emergency episodes of care and 32% (384/

SUBMITTER: O'Connell J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7451637 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature