Stoma care nurses: Good value for money?

Decreasing financial resources in health services often lead to wholesale b udget reducing in hospitals. Enterostomal therapists are more and more conc erned by this situation. Data on the cost-effectiveness of stoma therapy ha ve not existed, a gap filled by the present study. From January to December 1996 data from 94 patients about therapy-related costs, outcome, and evalu ation of stoma therapy from the patient's point of view were ascertained pr ospectively. For an average (SD) of 14.6 (7.1) patient contacts for stoma p lanning, advice, care, and so on the average duration was 12.9 (9.1) minute s per contact. At an average exchange rate of 1.50 German marks (DM) per US dollar in 1996 the enterostomal therapist's part of the total staff costs was US$15,212 (2.7%), the cost of stoma products was US$7750 (4.5% of the t otal costs of medical supplies). About 89.3% of the patients classified the enterostomal therapist necessary and indispensable; 70.3% of the patients said they could cope with their stoma very well to well at the time of ques tioning. In contrast, 69.2% of those questioned declared that without the c are by the enterostomal therapist In hospital they would be able to cope wi th their stoma only poorly to very poorly. We conclude that from the patien t's point of view the costs of our stoma therapy are justifiably low. There fore we see no reason for a discussion about rationalization measures regar ding our stoma therapy staff.