A COST-ANALYSIS OF AN INTRODUCTION TO CLINICAL MEDICINE COURSE IN A NON-UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL

Purpose. To determine the major direct costs associated with teaching the Introduction to Clinical Medicine (ICM) course at a non-university teaching hospital. Method. The major direct costs were calculated for ICM, a ten-week course taught at the Columbia Michael Reese Hospital and Medical Center, a non-university teaching hospital, to second year students from the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chica go. The major components of ICM are physical diagnosis, clinical patho logy, and radiology, as well as some pediatrics; the bulk of the costs for these components is incurred for physician staff time. Physician time was reported by component coordinators, who also estimated prepar ation and teaching times. Physician cost per hour was chosen as that e quivalent to assistant professors' salaries. Resident cost per hour wa s determined from the average resident salary at the hospital. Miscell aneous direct costs (of basic life-support certification, gift certifi cates, and standardized patients) were calculated from the receipts an d bills submitted for payment. In the spring of 1995 the hospital cond ucted ICM for 26 students. Results. The attending physicians worked a total of 736.5 hours, for a cost of $37,303. The residents worked a to tal of 314 hours, for a cost of $4,396. Miscellaneous costs totaled $2 ,019. The total of these major direct costs was $43,718, or $1,681 per student. Conclusion. These results can help medical educators and pol icymakers as they investigate innovative teaching methods and funding sources.