Determining the Operating Costs of a Medical Surveillance Program for Copper Miners Exposed to High Altitude–Induced Chronic Intermittent Hypoxia in Chile Using a Combination of Microcosting and Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing

Abstract

BackgroundCopper mining installations in Chile use a large number of workers who do their jobs at high altitudes, exposing them to the conditions of chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia. The Chilean Safety Association implements the surveillance program. ObjectiveThis organization, under the sponsorship of the Chilean Superintendency of Social Security, was interested in determining the costs involved in this program to support its decision-making processes and to improve its performance. MethodsDirect operating costs of the Hypoxia Medical Surveillance Program were determined through on-site surveys applied to the organization’s local agencies in charge. The microcosting method was used, quantifying personnel costs, consumables, and equipment and overhead costs. Time-driven activity-based costing was partially adapted for the allocation of personnel and equipment costs. Costs concerning activities, groups of activities and items, and average cost per exposed worker were determined. ResultsThe annual costs of the program were $127 299.58. The highest costs corresponded to the assessment activities, which were $89 192.13, representing 60.06% of the total. The labor factor costs were $77 568.50, which represents 60.93% of the total. The average cost per worker in the program is $21.17. ConclusionsThe partial adaptation of the time-driven activity-based costing method in combination with the microcosting method provides a suitable solution to determine the total costs of running a healthcare program of this kind. The information generated by this study will aid in the decision-making and management processes of the Hypoxia Medical Surveillance Program.