Volume 10, Number 6—June 2004
Research
Mycobacterium ulcerans Treatment Costs, Australia
Christina Drummond*
and James R.G. Butler†
and James R.G. Butler†
Table 1
Cost of diagnosing and treating Mycobacterium ulcerans cases (Australian dollars, 1997–98 prices)a
| Item | Unit | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| General practitioner visits | Visit | $24.68 |
| Specialist visits | Visit | $57.98 |
| Hospitalization | Cost per day for DRG 505 (other skin graft • debridement): public hospital | $776 |
| Cost per day for DRG 505 (other skin graft • debridement): private hospital | $935 | |
| Hospitalization over 4 days | $598/day | |
| Dressings | Cost if known or unit costb | |
| Bandages | $18/week | |
| Dressings | $20/week | |
| Medications | Cost if known or unit costb | $5/course |
| Clarithromycin 500 mg twice daily | $3.89/dose | |
| Rifampicin 600mg daily | $0.36/dose | |
| Ethambutol 400 mg three times/day | $0.71/dose | |
| Home nursing | Visits | $29/visit |
| Laboratory costs | Biopsy (MBS item no. 30071) | $38.80 |
| Microscopy and culture (MBS item no. 69207) | $28.00 | |
| Liver function tests (MBS item no. 66211) | $16.80 | |
| Heat Treatment | Cost if known or unit cost (/day)b | $3.00/day |
| Lost income | Cost if known or unit cost (days)b | Average weekly earnings of $766.80 |
| Transport | Cost if known or unit cost (/km travel)b | $0.50/km |
aDRG, diagnosis-related group; MBS, Medicare Benefits Schedule.
bIf known, the actual cost was used; otherwise, it was estimated from the unit cost.
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