Is there an association between hospital costs and door-to-balloon time?

ABSTRACTBackgroundDoor-to-balloon time (DBT) has become a measure of performance and is the focus in quality of care improvement initiatives. This study aimed to evaluate the association between DBT and its impact on hospital costs.MethodsPatients treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention between 2008 and 2013 were divided according to the DBT < or ≥ 90 minutes. All costs recorded at hospital discharge were adjusted by the Medical-Hospital Cost Variation Index.ResultsA total of 141 patients were included, grouped as DBT < 90 minutes (n = 77) and DBT ≥ 90 minutes (n = 64). DBT was 64.0 ± 14.1 minutes and 133.8 ± 35.2 minutes, respectively. There were no differences in clinical outcomes between the groups. The costs were R$ 34,883.24 ± 27,749.46, with the mean cost for DBT < 90 minutes being R$ 33,194.24 ± 27,387.61 and the cost for DBT ≥ 90 minutes R$ 36,947.58 ± 28,267.80 (p = 0.43). The costs, according to the culprit artery, were R$ 29,588.53 ± 16,358.85 for the right coronary artery; R$ 48,494.62 ± 44,015.04 for the left circumflex artery; and R$ 34,016.96 ± 26,503.94 for the left anterior descending artery. There was a difference between the costs of procedures related to the left circumflex artery when compared to the right coronary or left anterior descending arteries (p = 0.01), but there was no difference between the costs related to the right coronary, when compared to the left anterior descending artery (p = 0.68).ConclusionsThere was no difference in hospital costs regarding the private health insurance, when the groups were divided according to the DBT. Clinical outcomes were similar and a difference in costs was found for patients with the circumflex artery as the culprit vessel.

RESUMOIntroduçãoO tempo porta-balão (TPB) tornou-se uma medida de desempenho e é foco de iniciativas de melhoria da qualidade assistencial. Este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a relação entre o TPB e seu impacto nos custos de internação hospitalar.MétodosPacientes tratados com intervenção coronária percutânea primária, entre 2008 e 2013, foram divididos de acordo com o TPB < ou ≥ 90 minutos. Todos os custos registrados na alta hospitalar foram ajustados por meio do Índice de Variação de Custos Médico-Hospitalares.ResultadosForam incluídos 141 pacientes, agrupados em TPB < 90 minutos (n = 77) e TPB ≥ 90 minutos (n = 64). Os TPB foram 64,0 ± 14,1 minutos e 133,8 ± 35,2 minutos, respectivamente. Não foram observadas diferenças nos desfechos clínicos entre os grupos. Os custos foram de R$ 34.883,24 ± 27.749,46, sendo o custo médio para TPB < 90 minutos de R$ 33.194,24 ± 27.387,61, e para TPB ≥ 90 minutos, de R$ 36.947,58 ± 28.267,80 (p = 0,43). Os custos, segundo a artéria culpada, foram de R$ 29.588,53 ± 16.358,85 para a coronária direita; R$ 48.494,62 ± 44.015,04 para a circunflexa; e de R$ 34.016,96 ± 26.503,94 para a descendente anterior. Houve diferença entre os custos dos procedimentos relativos à artéria circunflexa comparados aos da coronária direita ou da descendente anterior (p = 0,01), mas não houve diferença entre os custos relativos à coronária direita, comparados à descendente anterior (p = 0,68).ConclusõesNão houve diferença nos custos hospitalares, no âmbito da saúde suplementar, quando os grupos foram divididos de acordo com o TPB. Os desfechos clínicos foram semelhantes, e foi encontrada uma diferença de custos em pacientes com a artéria circunflexa culpada.