Costs comparison in different supply processes of respiratory physiotherapy materials in an extra public hospital

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Every year millions of dollars are expended to equip and maintain the hospital sterilization centers in the world. Respiratory therapy materials are essential to life support, and have a major impact on clinical complications. To provide respiratory therapy materials with appropriate hygiene in a hospital is a challenge for manager due to clinical and costs impact. OBJECTIVE: To compare costs of different methods of providing respiratory therapy materials in a general, extra, tertiary and public hospital. METHODS: It consisted of an observational study, based on document review and critical analysis of hospital management indicators, and analyzed materials used in respiratory therapy, classified as semi-critical products, including manual resuscitator, nebulizer, kit for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), ventilatory circuit for non-invasive and invasive mechanical ventilation. RESULTS: Compared to the supply process of disposable materials acquisition, the supply process in the Institutional Central Sterilization Supply Department generates an annual savings with values calculated at US$ 289,679.26; while compared to the Outsourced Central Sterilization Supply Department the supply process in the Institutional Central Sterilization Supply Department saves an amount of US$ 257,041.11 annually. CONCLUSION: This was the first Brazilian study to conduct a cost analysis in this context. The supply process with the cleaning of respiratory physiotherapy materials in the Institutional Central Sterilization Supply Department was more advantageous with lower costs when compared to the Outsourced Central Sterilization Supply Department or cost of acquisition of disposable materials. The annual savings estimated considering the average monthly consumption in this study exceeded US $ 250,000.00. Detailed cost analysis provides crucial information and can enable better financial management.