Costs of two vancomycin-resistant enterococci outbreaks in an academic hospital
Abstract Objective: In early 2017, the University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands, had an outbreak of 2 strains of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) that spread to various wards. In the summer of 2018, the hospital was again hit by a VRE outbreak, which was detected and controlled e...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Antimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2732494X22003655/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1811157240749490176 |
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| author | Simon van der Pol Mariëtte Lokate Maarten J. Postma Alex W. Friedrich |
| author_facet | Simon van der Pol Mariëtte Lokate Maarten J. Postma Alex W. Friedrich |
| author_sort | Simon van der Pol |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Abstract
Objective:
In early 2017, the University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands, had an outbreak of 2 strains of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) that spread to various wards. In the summer of 2018, the hospital was again hit by a VRE outbreak, which was detected and controlled early. However, during both outbreaks, fewer patients were admitted to the hospital and various costs were incurred. We quantified the costs of the 2017 and 2018 VRE outbreaks.
Design:
Using data from various sources in the hospital and interviews, we identified and quantified the costs of the 2 outbreaks, resulting from tests, closed beds (opportunity costs), cleaning, additional personnel, and patient isolation.
Setting:
The University Medical Center Groningen, an academic hospital in the Netherlands.
Results:
The total costs associated with the 2017 outbreak were estimated to be €335,278 (US $356,826); the total costs associated with the 2018 outbreak were estimated at €149,025 (US $158,602).
Conclusions:
The main drivers of the costs were the opportunity costs due to the reduction in admitted patients, testing costs, and cleaning costs. Although the second outbreak was considerably shorter, the costs per day were similar to those of the first outbreak. Major investments are associated with the VRE control measures, and an outbreak of VRE can lead to considerable costs for a hospital. Aggressively screening and isolating patients who may be involved in an outbreak of VRE may reduce the overall costs and improve the continuity of care within the hospital.
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| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T05:03:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-92fc25fdd441483ea90521a7b05c2aa5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2732-494X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T05:03:52Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Antimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-92fc25fdd441483ea90521a7b05c2aa52023-03-09T12:27:53ZengCambridge University PressAntimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology2732-494X2023-01-01310.1017/ash.2022.365Costs of two vancomycin-resistant enterococci outbreaks in an academic hospitalSimon van der Pol0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1784-1001Mariëtte Lokate1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8664-3557Maarten J. Postma2Alex W. Friedrich3Department of Health Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands Health-Ecore, Zeist, The NetherlandsDepartment of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The NetherlandsDepartment of Health Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands Health-Ecore, Zeist, The Netherlands Department of Economics, Econometrics and Finance, University of Groningen, Groningen, The NetherlandsDepartment of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands Institute of European Prevention Networks in Infection Control, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany Abstract Objective: In early 2017, the University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands, had an outbreak of 2 strains of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) that spread to various wards. In the summer of 2018, the hospital was again hit by a VRE outbreak, which was detected and controlled early. However, during both outbreaks, fewer patients were admitted to the hospital and various costs were incurred. We quantified the costs of the 2017 and 2018 VRE outbreaks. Design: Using data from various sources in the hospital and interviews, we identified and quantified the costs of the 2 outbreaks, resulting from tests, closed beds (opportunity costs), cleaning, additional personnel, and patient isolation. Setting: The University Medical Center Groningen, an academic hospital in the Netherlands. Results: The total costs associated with the 2017 outbreak were estimated to be €335,278 (US $356,826); the total costs associated with the 2018 outbreak were estimated at €149,025 (US $158,602). Conclusions: The main drivers of the costs were the opportunity costs due to the reduction in admitted patients, testing costs, and cleaning costs. Although the second outbreak was considerably shorter, the costs per day were similar to those of the first outbreak. Major investments are associated with the VRE control measures, and an outbreak of VRE can lead to considerable costs for a hospital. Aggressively screening and isolating patients who may be involved in an outbreak of VRE may reduce the overall costs and improve the continuity of care within the hospital. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2732494X22003655/type/journal_article |
| spellingShingle | Simon van der Pol Mariëtte Lokate Maarten J. Postma Alex W. Friedrich Costs of two vancomycin-resistant enterococci outbreaks in an academic hospital Antimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology |
| title | Costs of two vancomycin-resistant enterococci outbreaks in an academic hospital |
| title_full | Costs of two vancomycin-resistant enterococci outbreaks in an academic hospital |
| title_fullStr | Costs of two vancomycin-resistant enterococci outbreaks in an academic hospital |
| title_full_unstemmed | Costs of two vancomycin-resistant enterococci outbreaks in an academic hospital |
| title_short | Costs of two vancomycin-resistant enterococci outbreaks in an academic hospital |
| title_sort | costs of two vancomycin resistant enterococci outbreaks in an academic hospital |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2732494X22003655/type/journal_article |
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