Measurement of Cost of Boarding in the Emergency Department Using Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing

Abstract

ObjectiveBoarding admitted patients in Emergency Departments (EDs) is a national crisis that is worsening despite potential financial disadvantages. The objective of this study was to assess costs associated with boarding. MethodsWe conducted a prospective, observational investigation of patients admitted through an ED for management of acute stroke at a large, urban, academic, comprehensive stroke center hospital. We employed Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing methodology to estimate cost for patient care activities during admission and aggregated results to estimate the total cost of boarding versus inpatient care. Primary outcomes were total daily costs per patient for: med/surg boarding, med/surg inpatient care, ICU boarding, and ICU inpatient care. ResultsThe total daily cost of med/surg boarding per acute stroke patient was $1,856 versus $993 for med/surg inpatient care and $2,267 for ICU boarding versus $2,165 for ICU inpatient care. These differences were even greater when accounting for costs associated with traveler nurses. ED nurses spent 293 minutes per day (mean) caring for each med/surg boarder; inpatient nurses spent 313 minutes per day for each med/surg inpatient. ED nurses spent 419 minutes per day caring for each ICU boarder; inpatient nurses spent 787 minutes per day for each ICU inpatient. Neurology attendings and residents spent 25 and 52 minutes per day caring for each med/surg boarder versus 62 minutes and 90 minutes for each med/surg inpatient. ConclusionsUsing advanced cost accounting methods, our investigation provides novel evidence that boarding of admitted patients is financially costly, adding greater urgency for elimination of this practice.