Actual Cost Research Articles

EVALUATION OF TIME AND COST PERFORMANCE ON THE GX OFFICE & CO WORKING BALI PROJECT USING THE EARNED VALUE METHOD

In rapid construction developments, delays still occur frequently and have not been resolved, as experienced by the GX Office & Co Working Bali project. The project will be completed in 42 weeks, but in the 27th week, there is an indication of a delay of -4.31% from the initial plan. Earned Value Method (EVM) is a time and cost performance assessment method that can be used to develop strategies to minimize delays. This research aims to evaluate the time and cost performance of the GX Office & Co Working Bali project using the EVM method. A quantitative approach is used to collect and analyze project schedules, actual costs, and progress reports. EVM key indicators such as Planned Value (PV), Earned Value (EV), and Actual Cost (AC) are analyzed to determine Schedule Variance (SV), Cost Variance (CV), Schedule Performance Index (SPI), and Cost Performance Index (CPI). The results showed that the project experienced delays, especially from week 1 to week 14 and week 19 to week 27, with SPI values mostly below 1. However, the project showed increased efficiency in cost management with values CPI above one after week 14 to week 27, indicating that the actual costs incurred are lower than the value of the work completed. These findings highlight the need for corrective actions and more effective management strategies to address delays efficiently in terms of costs.

Reconsidering banning the imports of waste paper: The implications for the environmental, economic and health impacts

Waste paper (WP) has become indispensable raw materials for paper industry. China has banned all imported WP since 2021, this one-size-fits-all policy has caused wide debates due to lack of a multiple and systematic assessment. Herein, a three-dimensional comprehensive assessment of environment, economy and health risk was established to compare non-deinking paper (NP) and deinking paper (DP) with imported/domestic waste paper (IWP/DWP). Assessment indicated that IWP was strongly recommended for NP with 20.96 %, 17.39 % and 20.92 % lower than DWP in environment, economy and health risk, respectively. Although the health risk of IWP was 58.14 % higher than that of DWP, it did not exceed the threshold, IWP was still recommended for DP with 19.14 % and 4.18 % lower than DWP in environment and economy. Toxicity-related impact categories predominated at midpoint level, especially human carcinogenic toxicity (50.97–59.12 %), which was largely caused by the emission of large quantities of toxic pollutants from the key processes (e.g., electricity generation (25.14–38.28 %) and wood pulp (31.99 %)), especially chromium (VI) (51.08–60.21 %). While human health (93.89–95.1 %) dominated all endpoint impact categories, which was mainly attributed to the top substances (i.e., CO2) from electricity generation (28.47–42.78 %). Importantly, actual cost might be markedly underestimated without considering environmental cost, the ecosystems damage was the primary source of external cost, and the internal cost was concentrated in raw materials (47.57–61.67 %). The health risk of contaminants in WP was closely associated with their manufacturing process and raw materials. The major health risk resulted from heavy metals, particularly for As and Cr. In conclusion, banning all IWP should be deliberated carefully, high-quality IWP should be imported to decrease environmental and economic burdens via enhancing supervision, performing import subsidies and tax incentives, and administrative approvals (facilitating industry consolidation and merging small and medium-sized enterprises).

Earned Value Analysis Terhadap Waktu dan Biaya Pada Proyek Pembangunan Gedung Pasar Padang Panjang

Along with the population and economic growth of West Sumatra, especially in Padang Panjang City, West Padang Panjang District, the need for public facilities is urgently needed, one of which is the Padang Panjang market. In a project, planning and controlling costs and time is part of overall project management, especially at the implementation stage of the case study reviewed by researchers, namely the Padang Panjang market building construction project. In this research regarding time and cost control, the earned value method is one method that can monitor project performance in terms of time and cost. Which aims to determine project performance in terms of time and costs each week and predict the time and costs to complete the remaining work. So that we can get corrective actions to be taken next to progress the project. In this research, to obtain a basic basis for writing, secondary data collection is used as supporting data for the analysis of the results themselves. The analysis and discussion carried out were calculating the BCWS value, BCWP value and ACWP value in order to obtain the time variance value (SV), cost variance value (CV), calculating the productivity index, calculating project performance and calculating the estimated analysis of total project costs and completion time. The results of the research carried out are, the overall BCWS value of the Padang Panjang market project is IDR 96,213,315,046.3, for the BCWP value at the end of the 22nd week of review IDR 12,688,575,967, the ACWP value at the end of the 22nd week of review is IDR. 12,389,476,444.2 . As for the analysis results obtained from several existing indicators, the SPI value was 1.384 > 1, while the CPI was 1.003 > 1, which means that the project was accelerated in terms of schedule but incurred actual costs that were smaller than the work that had been carried out. The ETC value is IDR 84,134,151,328.9 and the EAC value is IDR 96,523,627,773.1, while the ECD value is 373 days for the project completion time.

Financial Reporting, Tracking, and Analysis Practices Effect on Financial Performance of Commercial State Corporations in Kenya

In Kenya, legislative acts by parliament establish state corporations to promote social and economic progress. The state corporations advisory committee has identified eight distinct categories of these entities, which include financial, commercial, industrial, regulatory, public universities, training and research, service, regional development authorities, as well as tertiary education corporations. Out of the 33 state corporations in commercial and manufacturing category, 18 fall under manufacturing while 15 are commercial-oriented and therefore by their operational nature expected to make profits or operating surplus. The study focused on the fifteen (15) profit-making state corporations. Most commercial state corporations are in a state of perennial loss-making. Their financial performance trend between 2016-2020, shows that out of the 15 corporations in the commercial sector, only four (26.67%) are sustainable from their operations. This leaves over 73.33% of them struggling to survive and have to depend on government funding to address their liquidity challenges. This study sought to assess the impact of financial reporting and analysis on the financial performance of commercial state corporations in Kenya. The study assumed a descriptive study design. The study used a census procedure since all fifteen State Corporations under the commercial category were studied. Data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The inferential statistics results indicate that financial reporting and analysis have a positive and statistically significant effect on financial performance of commercial SOEs. The study found that improved financial performance was observed upon conducting periodical operational budget estimations, capital project estimations, periodical cash flow projections, and comparison of actual costs and budget variance analysis. The management and finance department to ensure that financial reporting processes are strengthened to enhance accuracy, openness, and compliance with governing requirements.

Low-cost optimization of industrial textile landfill sludge re-dewatering using ferrous sulfate and blast furnace slag

This study was based on an industrial sludge landfill with a scale of 1 million cubic meters, which had been filled for more than 10 years. It focused on the secondary dewatering of industrial textile landfill sludge (LS) with a total organic carbon (TOC) content greater than 50% and a volatile suspended solids to suspended solids (VSS/SS) ratio of 0.59. A response surface methodology (RSM) model was established using the coagulant ferrous sulfate (FeSO4) and conditioning agents such as hydrated magnesium oxide (MgO), blast furnace slag (BFS), and calcium oxide (CaO). By solving the RSM equations for the respective indicators, the optimal dosages of FeSO4, MgO, and BFS were determined to be 90 mg/g of dry sludge (DS), and for CaO 174.85 mg/g DS. Further examinations of the dewatering performance, apparent properties, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) components, rheological characteristics, moisture distribution, and pollutant content variation led to the development of a green waste-based dewatering agent composed of FeSO4 and BFS. In small-scale diaphragm plate and frame filter press tests, the optimal water content (WC) was 69.11%. In the final production-scale experiments, it was 65.72%, with the actual application cost being only 13.07 $/ton DS. Additionally, when FeSO4 and BFS were used together, the combined action of Fe and Si could significantly reduce the biotoxicity of heavy metals (HMs), cut down 75.2% of the LS's TOC, and effectively reduced the leaching of organic substances from the leachate, which was beneficial for subsequent disposal. In conclusion, the combined use of FeSO4 and BFS for the secondary dewatering of industrial textile LS was economically efficient, effective in dewatering, and had significant harm reduction effects, making it a worthwhile for waste treatment.

Deep reinforcement learning and ant colony optimization supporting multi‐UGV path planning and task assignment in 3D environments

AbstractWith the development of artificial intelligence, the application of unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) in outdoor hazardous scenarios has received more attention. However, the terrains in these environments are often complex and undulating, which also pose higher challenges to the multi‐UGV path planning and task assignment (MUPPTA) optimization. To efficiently improve the multi‐UGV collaboration in 3D environments, a MUPPTA method is proposed based on double deep Q learning network (DDQN) and ant colony optimization (ACO) to jointly optimize the path planning and task assignment decisions of multiple UGVs. The authors first comprehensively consider the characteristics of the 3D environments, and model the MUPPTA problem as a combinatorial optimization problem. To tackle it, the original problem is decomposed into the multi‐UGV path planning sub‐problem and task assignment sub‐problem, and solve them separately. First, the path planning sub‐problem in the 3D environments is transformed into a Markov decision process (MDP) model, and a multi‐UGV path planning algorithm based on DDQN (MUPP‐DDQN) is proposed to obtain the optimal paths and actual path costs between tasks through extensive offline learning and training. Based on this, a multi‐UGV task assignment algorithm is further proposed based on ACO (MUTA‐ACO) to solve the task assignment sub‐problem and achieve the optimal task assignment solution. Simulation results show that the proposed method is more cost‐effective and time‐saving compared to other comparison algorithms.

Earned Value Management in Intralogistics: A Case Study in Mexican Manufacturing

Earned Value Management (EVM) is a project management tool primarily used in engineering and project management to assess performance in terms of cost and schedule. Earned Value Management/Scheduling systems (EVM/ES) have been fundamental in project control, providing key metrics that measure deviations between planned and actual performance in terms of time and cost. However, its application as a project control technique is not very common in Mexico. In this article, EVM was applied to the intralogistics improvement of a manufacturing process in the automotive sector located in Aguascalientes, Mexico. The case study concluded in February 2024 and includes the project scope, scheduling charts, physical progress reports, and budgeted versus actual cost reports. The aim of this article is to provide practical evidence on how to apply EVM in manufacturing projects in Mexico. This will enable project professionals to more effectively utilize EVM for schedule and cost control in their manufacturing projects, with a specific emphasis on intralogistics.

156 A Survey of the Estimated Cost of Consumables Amongst UK Medical Students

Abstract Aim With increasing financial difficulties for the NHS, clinician’s awareness of the cost of consumable items utilised is vital. Unfortunately, clinician’s cost-awareness and exposure to health economics amongst students is limited. We hence undertook this survey to assess cost-awareness amongst medical students. Method An online questionnaire was distributed to London medical students. Participants were asked their demographic data and to estimate the cost of 10 consumable items. Each item’s actual cost was compared with the average, median and interquartile range of the estimated price. An estimate was deemed ‘correct’ if it was within 20% of the actual price. Results Across all items 9.63% of estimates were ‘correct’. There was no correlation between medical school or academic year and accuracy of cost-estimation. The most accurately estimated item cost was the ‘10ml syringe’ (19.55%), the least was the ‘1 litre bag of intravenous normal saline’ (0.50%). The most overestimated item cost was the ‘vial of 1.2g intravenous co-amoxiclav’ (median estimate/actual cost = 9.43), the ‘pair of standard sterile surgical gloves’ was the only underestimated item cost (median estimate/actual cost = 0.97). Conclusions We found a poor understanding of the cost of consumables amongst medical students. Whilst a lack of year 6 students and the London geographic limited this study, we believe this is the first large-scale survey assessing the cost of consumables amongst UK students. By providing a benchmark of current knowledge, this survey could serve as a catalyst for the inclusion of health economics in medical school, improving cost-awareness amongst students and doctors.

Actual Cost of Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation: A Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing Study.

To determine the actual cost and drivers of the cost of an extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (E-CPR) care cycle. A time-driven activity-based costing study conducted from a healthcare provider perspective. A quaternary care ICU providing around-the-clock E-CPR service for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) and in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) in Australia. The E-CPR care cycle was defined as the time from initiating E-CPR to hospital discharge or death of the patient. Detailed process maps with discrete steps and probabilistic decision nodes accounting for the complex trajectories of E-CPR patients were developed. Data about clinical and nonclinical resources and timing of activities was collected multiple times for each process . Total direct costs were calculated using the time estimates and unit costs per resource for all clinical and nonclinical resources. The total direct costs were combined with indirect costs to obtain the total cost of E-CPR. From 10 E-CPR care cycles observed during the study period, a minimum of 3 observations were obtained per process. The E-CPR care cycle's mean (95% CI) cost was $75,014 ($66,209-83,222). Initiation of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and ECMO management constituted 18% of costs. The ICU management (35%) and surgical costs (20%) were the primary cost determinants. IHCA had a higher mean (95% CI) cost than OHCA ($87,940 [75,372-100,570] vs. 62,595 [53,994-71,890], p < 0.01), mainly because of the increased survival and ICU length of stay of patients with IHCA. The mean cost for each E-CPR survivor was $129,503 ($112,422-147,224). Significant costs are associated with E-CPR for refractory cardiac arrest. The cost of E-CPR for IHCA was higher compared with the cost of E-CPR for OHCA. The major determinants of the E-CPR costs were ICU and surgical costs. These data can inform the cost-effectiveness analysis of E-CPR in the future.

ORGANIZATION OF DELIVERY OF THE COMPANY'S PRODUCTS BY OWN VEHICLES

Purpose. The purpose of the work is the formation and analysis of options for the organization of the delivery of the machine-building enterprise's products by its own vehicles. Methodology. The main stages of choosing a rational technology for the organization of product transportation by own transport based on the developed schedules have been formed. The research was performed on the basis of the analysis of graphs of the dependence of motor vehicle operation indicators on the technology of organizing the transportation of the company's products. Findings. The article develops and analyzes work schedules for the delivery of the company's products by tractor-trailer trucks with semi-trailers. According to the schedules, the duration of delivery of one product in a ready-to-install condition to the consignee, the maximum possible annual volumes of transportation, the maximum and actual average annual operating costs for the delivery of the company's products by its own vehicles are determined. Practical value. The results of the research can be used to make a decision on the expediency of refusing the services of logistics companies to organize the delivery of the company's products to customers.

Trends in Medicare Costs of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, 2013 through 2022

ABSTRACT Gelly H, Fife C, Walker D, Eckert K. Trends in Medicare Costs of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, 2013 through 2022. Undersea Hyperb Med. 2024 Second Quarter; 51(2):137-144. Objective: To analyze Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Registry (HBOTR) data to estimate the Medicare costs of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO2) based on standard treatment protocols and the annual mean number of treatments per patient reported by the registry. Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of deidentified data for all payers from 53 centers registered in the HBOTR from 2013 to 2022. We estimated the mean annual per-patient costs of HBO2 based on Medicare (outpatient facility + physician) reimbursement fees adjusted to 2022 inflation using the Medicare Economic Index. Costs were calculated for the annual average number of treatments patients received each year and for a standard 40-treatment series. We estimated the 2022 costs of standard treatment protocols for HBO2 indications treated in the outpatient setting. Results: Generally, all costs decreased from 2013 to 2022. The facility cost per patient per 40 HBO2 treatments decreased by 10.7% from $21,568.58 in 2013 to $19,488.00 in 2022. The physician cost per patient per 40 treatments substantially decreased by -37.8%, from $5,993.16 to $4,346.40. The total cost per patient per 40 treatments decreased by 15.6% from $27,561.74 to $23,834.40. In 2022, a single HBO2 session cost $595.86. For different indications, estimated costs ranged from $2,383.4-$8,342.04 for crush injuries to $17,875.80-$35,751.60 for diabetic foot ulcers and delayed radiation injuries. Conclusions: This real-world analysis of registry data demonstrates that the actual cost of HBO2 is not nearly as costly as the literature has insinuated, and the per-patient cost to Medicare is decreasing, largely due to decreased physician costs.

Enhancement and evaluation of solar still performance using internal reflectors and woven wire mesh: An experimental approach

In recent years, the urgency for harnessing solar energy for water desalination has grown significantly, driven by the escalating costs and the increasing scarcity of clean water sources. Numerous research efforts were dedicated to enhance the productivity of solar still, including the thermal energy storage materials, solar concentrators, nanofluid, and more. The main objective of this research is to improve the solar still performance by using wastes of workshops and factories so, their actual cost can be assumed to be zero. The experimental setup placed at faculty of Engineering Suez Canal University. Two solar still were included: one representing the conventional and the second one is modified with internal reflectors and woven wire mesh. The performance of the stills was assessed under identical climate conditions, considering water depths of 1, 2, 3 and 4 cm using both fresh and saline water with Total dissolved Solids of 18,562 and 35643 ppm. The obtained results indicated that the incorporation of internal reflectors and woven wire mesh led to a notable percentage increase in daily thermal efficiency and accumulative productivity ranged from 42.49 % to 45.04 % and from 43.0 % to 46.8 % respectively. The economic analysis demonstrated that the cost per liter for conventional and modified solar still was about 0.0018 and 0.0011$ per liter per m2 respectively. This study’s findings suggested that the integration of internal reflectors and woven wire mesh into solar stills to obtain high productivity potable water with low cost. These results align with and reinforce previous publications in this field, highlighting the potential of this approach for addressing the pressing challenges of affordable and efficient water desalination.

A predictive modeling approach for Taiwanese diagnosis-related groups medical costs: A focus on laparoscopic appendectomy

Abstract Background: In the Taiwanese diagnosis-related groups (Tw-DRGs) system, effective management of medical resources is vital to ensure the sustainability of hospital operations. Objectives: The aim is to create a predictive model to estimate the medical costs linked to a specific Tw-DRGs item, utilizing laparoscopic appendectomy without complications or comorbidities (DRG16701) as a representative case. Materials and Methods: We employed a dataset comprising 248 surgical cases performed at a regional teaching hospital between January 2017 and December 2019. These cases were classified based on the difference between the Tw-DRGs payment standard and actual medical costs. Two experiments were conducted: one without feature selection and one with feature selection. We utilized random forest (RF) and principal component analysis in each experiment. Each experiment applied the following four predictive models: decision tree, RF, logistic regression, and backpropagation neural network. The models were evaluated by measuring the accuracy, F1-score, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC). Results: The RF model demonstrated satisfactory performance, achieving an accuracy and F1-score of 0.920 on the testing set, with an AUROC ranging from 0.92 to 0.95. Feature selection methods enhanced model performance, particularly for the RF model. Critical features included premeal glucose levels, age, body mass index, weight, potassium, activated partial thromboplastin time, C-reactive protein level, and height. Conclusion: On average, each laparoscopic appendectomy case resulted in a deficit of NTD 3173.6. Cost prediction proved feasible using routine blood test data obtained upon admission or before surgery. The RF model and feature selection emerged as the most suitable predictive model for this specific purpose.

Cost Awareness of Anaesthetic Consumable Items Among the National Health Service (NHS) Staff and the Financial Impact on the NHS.

Background The financial burden of running the National Health Service (NHS) is high. Staff members should be aware of the cost of the equipment they use to enable efficient use of resources, reduce waste, and control spending. However, limited financial education at undergraduate and junior stages has contributed to relatively poor knowledge among healthcare workers at all levels. Anaesthetics is a speciality which uses a large amount of equipment; therefore, we aim to assess the cost awareness among staff for commonly used consumables. Furthermore, we aim to assess staff members' attitudes towards the financial and environmental impact of the equipment they use and whether this would change their practice. Methodology An electronic survey was sent to staff members from the anaesthetic department of the Medway NHS Foundation Trust during a one-month period. Respondents were asked to estimate the cost of 19 commonly used anaesthetic consumables, with an estimate categorised as correct if it was within 20% of the actual cost. At the end of the survey, there were five questions for respondents to answer regarding the financial and environmental impact of their current healthcare practice and possible alternatives. Results There were 69 respondents within the anaesthetic department from a variety of roles. Overall, only 9.37% of items were estimated correctly, with cheaper items commonly being overestimated and more expensive items being underestimated. Overall, 60% of respondents said the cost of an item would influence their use. The overwhelming majority claimed that the environmental impact was a concern, and most would favour recyclable/reusable alternatives. Conclusions Cost awareness among anaesthetic staff for commonly used equipment is poor. More education and training are necessary in this area as limited knowledge of service costs restricts the ability to make cost-efficient choices which are needed in the current NHS.

A Survey of the Estimated Cost of Surgical Consumable Items Within Trauma and Orthopaedic Departments.

Introduction The impact of the current economic and environmental climate, both nationally and globally, is further straining the NHS. This has led to scrutiny of high-expenditure areas, including consumables. Clinician's knowledge surrounding health economics is sparse, and we conducted this survey to assess cost-awareness within the Trauma and Orthopaedic (T&O) departmental staff. Methods A questionnaire was digitally distributed to T&O staff in the East Kent Hospitals Trust. This included demographic data and to make estimations of the cost of 10 specialty-specific items. The data were analysed to determine the average, median, and interquartile range (IQR) of the estimated prices and compared to the actual costs. Results Approximately 7.1% of all item estimates were deemed 'correct'. No correlation was seen between years of staff experience and the accuracy of estimates. 'Kenalog 1 mL ampoule' (Kenalog, Bristol-Myers Squibb, NJ) had the highest accuracy of estimation across all responses (13%), whilst both 'kirschner wires' and '3.2 drill bit' had the lowest accuracy (4% each). The median estimated cost was closest to the actual cost for 'cement pack' (median estimate/actual cost = 0.9). The median estimated cost was furthest from the actual cost for 'tourniquet cuffs' (median estimate/actual cost = 0.16). 'Velcro wrist splint' was the item that was the most overestimated (median estimate/actual cost = 1.57), with only two of the 10 items being overestimated ('velcro wrist splint' and 'dynamic hip screw and plate'). The most underestimated item was 'tourniquet cuffs' (median estimate/actual cost = 0.16). Conclusions There is a paucity of knowledge surrounding the cost of specialist T&O consumables. The limitations included the sample size (98 respondents) and geographical area (East Kent Hospitals Trust). This study shows that there is a need for further research into this topic, with long-term outcomes, which may be beneficial both economically and environmentally.

Assessment of life cycle cost of municipal roads projects: A case study from Palestine

The development of urban areas in Palestine is usually linked with the implementation of municipal road projects. The assessment of life cycle costs for municipal roads is presented in this research. This paper aims to highlight the main factors and their impact on the cost overrun during the different life cycle phases of road projects and therefore proposes recommendations that aim at reducing the differences between the estimated and actual costs. A study was conducted across twenty-six municipalities in the various regions of the West Bank. Over the study period of 2016 to 2018, there were 123 implemented road projects within these municipalities, where sixty-three of these projects surpassed their initial cost estimates and encountered cost overrun by an average of 26.9%. Among these, forty-seven projects were deemed suitable for research based on the assessment of the filled questionnaires by these municipalities. The main factors leading to cost overruns include challenging terrain, lack of specialized engineering offices for design and tender preparation, the timing of the tender release, awarding projects solely based on the lowest bids, changes during implementation, and financial constraints. Project cost measures that rely on professional management practices need to be considered in the planning designing, tendering, and implementing phases.

Application of Management Techniques in Controlling Cost Overruns in Residential Construction Projects

Construction projects in developing countries are frequently plagued by cost overruns. These overruns, which refer to the additional costs incurred beyond the initially estimated budget, are a common occurrence in the construction industry. The extent of these cost overruns varies significantly from one project to another, thereby necessitating a comprehensive investigation into the factors contributing to such discrepancies. The cost of construction plays a pivotal role in determining the success of a project throughout its lifespan. Thus, it becomes imperative to scrutinize the disparity between the actual cost of building projects and the initially projected cost, which typically ranges between 20% and 50%. Given the prominence and impact of cost overruns in residential buildings, it is crucial to address this issue promptly and effectively. Consequently, the primary objective of the present research is to thoroughly examine the role of Management techniques in mitigating cost overruns and identify the most efficient technique that can be employed in controlling such overruns, with a specific focus on Residential Projects in India. Through this investigation, valuable insights can be gained, which can contribute to the development of strategies and approaches that effectively manage cost overruns in the residential construction sector. The current study delves into the exploration of the application of various Management techniques in effectively controlling cost overruns specifically in the realm of residential construction projects.

Shared EV charging stations for the Austin area: opportunities for public-private partnerships

ABSTRACT Many nations are hoping to shift to less unsustainable transport systems via adoption of electric vehicles (EVs). Developing sufficient EV charging stations (EVCS) is central to widespread adoption and use. Co-locating private and public EVCS cords is a promising way to lower costs, increase access, and facilitate EVCS developments. This study explores potential sites for and estimates actual costs of co-locating public-private (PP) charging hubs across the City of Austin, reflecting demand and supply features. Existing EVCS sites, sizes, and charging speeds are used inside the agent-based POLARIS model for microsimulation of travel choices and EV use. Site design details are also provided.

Retrospective analysis of hospitalization costs using two payment systems: the diagnosis related groups (DRG) and the Queralt system, a newly developed case-mix tool for hospitalized patients

BackgroundHospital services are typically reimbursed using case-mix tools that group patients according to diagnoses and procedures. We recently developed a case-mix tool (i.e., the Queralt system) aimed at supporting clinicians in patient management. In this study, we compared the performance of a broadly used tool (i.e., the APR-DRG) with the Queralt system.MethodsRetrospective analysis of all admissions occurred in any of the eight hospitals of the Catalan Institute of Health (i.e., approximately, 30% of all hospitalizations in Catalonia) during 2019. Costs were retrieved from a full cost accounting. Electronic health records were used to calculate the APR-DRG group and the Queralt index, and its different sub-indices for diagnoses (main diagnosis, comorbidities on admission, andcomplications occurred during hospital stay) and procedures (main and secondary procedures). The primary objective was the predictive capacity of the tools; we also investigated efficiency and within-group homogeneity.ResultsThe analysis included 166,837 hospitalization episodes, with a mean cost of € 4,935 (median 2,616; interquartile range 1,011–5,543). The components of the Queralt system had higher efficiency (i.e., the percentage of costs and hospitalizations covered by increasing percentages of groups from each case-mix tool) and lower heterogeneity. The logistic model for predicting costs at pre-stablished thresholds (i.e., 80th, 90th, and 95th percentiles) showed better performance for the Queralt system, particularly when combining diagnoses and procedures (DP): the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve for the 80th, 90th, 95th cost percentiles were 0.904, 0.882, and 0.863 for the APR-DRG, and 0.958, 0.945, and 0.928 for the Queralt DP; the corresponding values of area under the precision-recall curve were 0.522, 0.604, and 0.699 for the APR-DRG, and 0.748, 0.7966, and 0.834 for the Queralt DP. Likewise, the linear model for predicting the actual cost fitted better in the case of the Queralt system.ConclusionsThe Queralt system, originally developed to predict hospital outcomes, has good performance and efficiency for predicting hospitalization costs.

Research on Lithium Battery Recycling and Utilization

With the rapid development of new energy, lithium batteries, as one of the key technologies in the field of energy storage, play an important role. However, with the widespread application of lithium batteries, the problem of their disposal has become increasingly prominent, which not only affects the environment but also wastes precious resources. This article analyzes the domestic new energy lithium battery market situation and finds that domestic new energy is developing rapidly and the lithium battery market has huge potential. In terms of lithium battery recycling and utilization, comparison shows that foreign lithium battery recycling technology is relatively mature, but there are certain challenges in adapting to domestic actual conditions and cost control. Although there are some advanced recycling technologies in China, the overall level still needs to be improved.