Direct medical costs of syncope-related hospitalizations in the United States

Am J Cardiol. 2005 Mar 1;95(5):668-71. doi: 10.1016/j.amjcard.2004.11.013.

Abstract

Little is known about the costs of syncope-related admissions in the United States. A nationally representative sample of hospital discharges and reported charges was analyzed, and costs were estimated using Medicare cost-to-charge ratios. A conservative estimate of total annual costs for syncope-related hospitalizations was $2.4 billion (95% confidence interval [CI] $2.2 to $2.6 billion), with a mean cost of $5,400 (95% CI $5,100 to $5,600) per hospitalization. Efforts to safely decrease syncope-related admissions may result in substantial costs savings.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Chi-Square Distribution
  • Child
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Direct Service Costs*
  • Female
  • Hospitalization / economics*
  • Humans
  • Length of Stay / economics
  • Linear Models
  • Male
  • Medicare / economics
  • Middle Aged
  • Syncope / economics*
  • United States