COSTS OF MEDICAL RESOURCE USE ASSOCIATED WITH COMPLICATIONS OF IV DRUG-THERAPY

Despite clinical documentation of adverse consequences and increased u se of medical procedures due to IV drug administration, evaluation of these complications' effect on health resource use has been limited We used data from the 1990 National Hospital Discharge Survey in a case- control study design to examine the relation between infectious and va scular complications of IV drug therapy and such measures as length of hospital stay, destination following discharge, and incidence of asso ciated procedures and diagnoses, Patients with IV complications were h ospitalized 4 days longer than controls (p < 0.0001) and were 2.6 time s as likely to have a complication-related diagnosis or procedure (P < 0.001); the increase in hospital stays resulted in a $4,100-per-patie nt increase in health care costs, These differences and the resulting costs were especially pronounced in patients with infectious IV compli cations. We conclude that avoiding IV complications significantly redu ces medical costs.