학술논문

The cost of diagnostic uncertainty: a prospective economic analysis of febrile children attending an NHS emergency department
Document Type
article
Source
BMC Medicine, Vol 17, Iss 1, Pp 1-15 (2019)
Subject
Febrile
Fever
Pyrexia
Children
Health economics
Cost of illness
Medicine
Language
English
ISSN
1741-7015
73908363
Abstract
Abstract Background Paediatric fever is a common cause of emergency department (ED) attendance. A lack of prompt and definitive diagnostics makes it difficult to distinguish viral from potentially life-threatening bacterial causes, necessitating a cautious approach. This may result in extended periods of observation, additional radiography, and the precautionary use of antibiotics (ABs) prior to evidence of bacterial foci. This study examines resource use, service costs, and health outcomes. Methods We studied an all-year prospective, comprehensive, and representative cohort of 6518 febrile children (aged