HOSPITAL COSTS OF PROTECTIVE ISOLATION PROCEDURES IN HEART-TRANSPLANTRECIPIENTS

Background: This study details the hospital costs of strict reverse is olation procedures in heart transplant recipients. Methods: In a prosp ective, descriptive design, a research protocol was developed? identif ying all of the activities related to strict reverse isolation procedu res in heart transplant recipients. For each separate activity, materi als used and workload were registered, which allowed the calculation o f the material and labor costs for each of the isolation procedures. R esults: The cost calculations show that the first day in isolation cos ts about $160 (for isolation procedures only) and about $65 for each c onsecutive isolation day. With a mean post-intensive care unit length of stay of 22 days, the mean cost of isolation procedures for heart tr ansplant recipients amounts to $1535. Finally, a modified isolation pr otocol was developed, incorporating only those procedures with proven effectiveness. It was calculated that a switch to such a modified prot ocol would allow a savings of over 50% of the hospital resources devot ed to isolation measures. Conclusions: Isolation procedures use a sign ificant portion of hospital resources, Modifying isolation protocols i n heart transplant recipients can be a source of considerable savings in a transplant program.