Recurring Clostridioides difficile infections could be costing hospitals millions, an AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center study found.
The study, published Sept. 29 in Cambridge Core, included 29 patients from Pomano, N.J.-based AtlantiCare Regional who had three or more inpatient admissions due to C. diff from January 2017 to December 2020. Researchers used the patient medical records to determine the total hospitalization costs for these patients.
The 29 patients accounted for 108 admissions, 1,006 inpatient hospital days and 74 days in the ICU over the study period. Patients had a median of three admissions, with a median length of stay of seven days.
Researchers estimated the total hospitalization costs were $3,352,400, and the estimated reimbursement received by the hospital was $1,119,043.
“Thus, we estimated that the community teaching hospital had a net loss of $2,232,997 over the four-year period due to C. diff infection-related hospitalizations,” the study authors wrote. “This translates to a net loss per patient of approximately $77,000 over the four-year study period.”
Researchers added that their analysis may underestimate the true financial losses associated with recurring C. diff infections since their analysis assumed full reimbursement.
