Table 1 Source, sector distribution, and value of applied costs used in costing calculations for acute respiratory illnesses
Resource item | Sector | Source of applied cost | Applied cost | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Primary care visits | Patient and family | Mean patient contribution per service by quarter, patient and bulk billed services from general practitioners and vocationally registered general practitioners | January to March 2003: $4.03 April to June 2003: $4.08 July to September 2003: $4.34 October to December 2003: $4.61 January 2004: $4.64 | |
| Â | Health | 85% (reimbursable amount) of code 23, Medicare Benefits Schedule | January to October 2003: $25.05 November 2003 to January 2004: $25.70 | |
Specialist visits | Patient and family | Mean patient contribution per specialist visit by quarter | January to March 2003: $19.30 April to June 2003: $19.56 July to September 2003: $19.74 October to December 2003: $20.36 January 2004: $21.65 | |
| Â | Health | 85% (reimbursable amount) of code 104, Medicare Benefits Schedule | January to October 2003: $58.95 November 2003 to January 2004: $60.45 | |
Other health care provider visits | Patient and family | Pilot study [23] | Mean other health care provider visit cost from pilot study, derived from 10 visits | $15.63 per visit to allied and alternative health professionals |
Hospital emergency department visits without admission | Health | The Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing [64] | Australian Ambulatory Classes group 23 (other respiratory diseases without procedure) | $40 per visit |
Diagnostic tests | 15% Patient and family 85% Health | Medicare Benefits Scheduled fee for diagnostic tests | January 2003 to January 2004 $28.35 Chest x-ray (code 58500) January to October 2003 $14.20 Full blood examination (code 65070) $16.35 Urea, electrolytes, creatinine, liver function tests (code 66515) $17.10 Urine microscopy, culture, identification, and sensitivity (code 69333) November 2003 to January 2004 $14.65 Full blood examination (code 65070) $16.85 Urea, electrolytes, creatinine, liver function tests (code 66515) $17.60 Urine microscopy, culture, identification, and sensitivity (code 69333) | |
Antibiotics | Patient and family | Pilot study [23] | Mean antibiotic course cost from pilot study, derived from 42 courses | $13.80 per course |
Time seeking health care away from work | 61% Patient and family 39% Employer | Australian Bureau of Statistics [26] | Average weekly, full-time adult total earnings for females and males used to provide an hourly rate (based on a 38 hour working week) | January 2003 Female $21.62 Male $26.67 February to April 2003 Female $21.94 Male $27.10 May to July 2003 Female $22.25 Male $27.51 August to October 2003 Female $22.49 Male $27.81 November 2003 to January 2004 Female $22.71 Male $28.00 |
Time seeking health care away from usual activity | Patient and family | Â | Â | Â |
Excess time caring for ill child away from work | 31% Patient and family 69% Employer | Â | Â | Â |
Excess time caring for ill child away from usual activity | Patient and family | Â | Â | Â |
Hospitalization | Health | Public hospital admission National Hospital Cost Data Collection [65, 66] | Victorian values for code E62C (Respiratory infection/inflammation without complication or co-morbidity) | Round 7 (2002/2003) $2,331 Round 8 (2003/2004) $2,441 |