1. Decreasing Total Healthcare Costs and Length of Stay in the Admitted Pediatric Odontogenic Cellulitis Patient: An Inquiry into Patient and Treatment Characteristics
- Author
-
Jackson, Joseph L.
- Subjects
- Dentistry, cellulitis, odontogenic, healthcare cost, healthcare costs, facial swelling
- Abstract
Several previous studies have looked at odontogenic facial cellulitis in terms of epidemiology, economics, and characteristics of disease. Prior to our 2009 study, no information existed on the impact that rapid treatment in a hospital such as Nationwide Children’s Hospital could impact LOS and Total Healthcare Cost (THC). There we found that our average LOS of 2.1 days was lower than previously reported in other studies. In addition, our THC was lower than the average as reported in 2006 in the Kid’s Inpatient Database ($4166 vs. $8998) when general anesthesia was not utilized. This study extended the scope of the earlier study by identifying patients prospectively, and, by utilizing electronic medical records, following more variables to better ascertain their relationship to LOS and THC.A total of 43 Patients were identified for this study. The average length of stay was 1.7 days ± 1.5 days (range 0-7 days), which is the lowest mean LOS reported in the literature. THC averaged $10,494.10 ± $8,034.10 and ranged from $3,613.97 to $43,418.18. This mean THC is a significant increase from earlier findings. Statistically significant associations were found for older age and increased LOS (p=.005) when patients were dichotomously divided into groups of 0-8 and 9-18yrs old. Significant associations between CT imaging and both longer LOS and higher cost (both pFour patients in this study were placed under observation and were not formally admitted. These observation patients had lower costs than similar fully admitted patients (19.5%-60.2% less expensive), but the differences were not statistically significant. Given a larger population, the lower THC could be both statistically and clinically significant and therefore a future study is recommended in which ASA I patients with odontogenic facial cellulitis are placed under observation rather than formally admitted.
- Published
- 2012