What is the cost of delivering routine vaccinations at GP practices in England? A comparative time-driven activity-based costing analysis
Background: The expansion of available vaccines in recent years has increased the overall costs of the vaccine program and put pressure on providers responsible for vaccination. In England in 2016–17, GP practices responsible for vaccinating their local population were paid £227 million. However, th...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2019-12-01
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| Series: | Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21645515.2019.1619403 |
| _version_ | 1797677440560005120 |
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| author | Tim Crocker-Buque Kitty Mohan Mary Ramsay Michael Edelstein Sandra Mounier-Jack |
| author_facet | Tim Crocker-Buque Kitty Mohan Mary Ramsay Michael Edelstein Sandra Mounier-Jack |
| author_sort | Tim Crocker-Buque |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: The expansion of available vaccines in recent years has increased the overall costs of the vaccine program and put pressure on providers responsible for vaccination. In England in 2016–17, GP practices responsible for vaccinating their local population were paid £227 million. However, the costs to general practice of delivering the program and the factors influencing these costs are unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the costs of delivering the routine vaccination program at GP practices in England, to identify organizational factors impacting costs, and to compare these to the funding received. Methods: Time Driven Activity Based Costing was undertaken at a convenience sample of nine geographically and socio-economically diverse GP practices in 2017–2018. Cost data were gathered for the preceding year using a survey and clinical and administrative staff kept activity logs for a 2-week period. Results: The mean cost of delivering a childhood vaccination appointment was £18.20 (range £9.71-£25.97) and an adult appointment cost £14.05 (range £7.59-£20.88), of which 75% was for staff, 24% for facility costs and 1% for consumables. Organizational factors contributing to lower costs include: shorter length of allocated appointment; greater use of administrative and reception staff; lower working time for practice manager and practice nurse; and use of health-care assistants for adult vaccinations. The costs identified are lower than payments at all practices. Conclusions: Funding received for vaccination activities was higher than costs at included practices. Several organizational factors have been identified that impact on program delivery costs that could be modified. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T22:44:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d1b0e88bf9414f5ea0ab8897a49d5b78 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2164-5515 2164-554X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T22:44:09Z |
| publishDate | 2019-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics |
| spelling | doaj.art-d1b0e88bf9414f5ea0ab8897a49d5b782023-09-22T08:45:31ZengTaylor & Francis GroupHuman Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics2164-55152164-554X2019-12-0115123016302310.1080/21645515.2019.16194031619403What is the cost of delivering routine vaccinations at GP practices in England? A comparative time-driven activity-based costing analysisTim Crocker-Buque0Kitty Mohan1Mary Ramsay2Michael Edelstein3Sandra Mounier-Jack4London School of Hygiene and Tropical MedicinePublic Health England Thames Valley Health Protection TeamPublic Health EnglandLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical MedicineLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical MedicineBackground: The expansion of available vaccines in recent years has increased the overall costs of the vaccine program and put pressure on providers responsible for vaccination. In England in 2016–17, GP practices responsible for vaccinating their local population were paid £227 million. However, the costs to general practice of delivering the program and the factors influencing these costs are unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the costs of delivering the routine vaccination program at GP practices in England, to identify organizational factors impacting costs, and to compare these to the funding received. Methods: Time Driven Activity Based Costing was undertaken at a convenience sample of nine geographically and socio-economically diverse GP practices in 2017–2018. Cost data were gathered for the preceding year using a survey and clinical and administrative staff kept activity logs for a 2-week period. Results: The mean cost of delivering a childhood vaccination appointment was £18.20 (range £9.71-£25.97) and an adult appointment cost £14.05 (range £7.59-£20.88), of which 75% was for staff, 24% for facility costs and 1% for consumables. Organizational factors contributing to lower costs include: shorter length of allocated appointment; greater use of administrative and reception staff; lower working time for practice manager and practice nurse; and use of health-care assistants for adult vaccinations. The costs identified are lower than payments at all practices. Conclusions: Funding received for vaccination activities was higher than costs at included practices. Several organizational factors have been identified that impact on program delivery costs that could be modified.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21645515.2019.1619403vaccineimmunisationprimary carecostingfundingorganisational management |
| spellingShingle | Tim Crocker-Buque Kitty Mohan Mary Ramsay Michael Edelstein Sandra Mounier-Jack What is the cost of delivering routine vaccinations at GP practices in England? A comparative time-driven activity-based costing analysis Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics vaccine immunisation primary care costing funding organisational management |
| title | What is the cost of delivering routine vaccinations at GP practices in England? A comparative time-driven activity-based costing analysis |
| title_full | What is the cost of delivering routine vaccinations at GP practices in England? A comparative time-driven activity-based costing analysis |
| title_fullStr | What is the cost of delivering routine vaccinations at GP practices in England? A comparative time-driven activity-based costing analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | What is the cost of delivering routine vaccinations at GP practices in England? A comparative time-driven activity-based costing analysis |
| title_short | What is the cost of delivering routine vaccinations at GP practices in England? A comparative time-driven activity-based costing analysis |
| title_sort | what is the cost of delivering routine vaccinations at gp practices in england a comparative time driven activity based costing analysis |
| topic | vaccine immunisation primary care costing funding organisational management |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21645515.2019.1619403 |
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