Cost of postoperative complications: How to avoid calculation errors

Table 1 Types of costs to consider in the economic evaluation of postoperative complications

Direct costs
1 Health-related
1.1 Postoperative resources used/consumed by the patient during hospitalization:
(1) Shared or overhead costs. Financing of administrative infrastructure and fixed installations. Resources used by different services: Administration, records, electricity, heating, laundry, etc.
(2) Central services: Documentation, computer services, …
(3) Installations and catering.
(4) Health and non-health staff: Nurses, doctors, ancillary staff from the surgery service ...
(5) Use of other surgical and medical services at the hospital.
(6) Diagnostic procedures: Laboratory, radiological and endoscopic examinations, pathology studies, …
(7) Pharmacy.
(8) Surgical, endoscopic and radiological procedures. Ideally, recording of consumables for each procedure.
(9) Dressing materials.
1.2 Future postoperative costs related to the surgery performed and the postoperative complications arising:
(1) Primary care and hospital visits.
(2) Rehabilitation.
(3) Diagnostic procedures: Analytical, radiological and endoscopic examinations, ...
(4) Pharmacy.
(5) Readmissions associated with the surgery, however remote the relation.
(6) Care centres (for example, rehabilitation, convalecence or other long-term care centres)
(7) Health transport: Ambulances.
(8) Prostheses, wheelchaires, …
2 Non-health-related
2.1 Monetary:
(1) Social services: Home care, notification systems, …
(2) Time taken to receive medical care.
(3) Transport costs incurred by patients and families.
(4) Care for patient’s dependents.
(5) Adaptation of the home, vehicles, …
2.2 Non-monetary (opportunity cost):
(1) Time taken by the patient, families and friends in care of the illness.
Indirect costs
1.1 Productivity lost by patients (those in employment):
(1) Temporary or definitive incapacity for work.
(2) Readaptation in the workplace.
(3) Death.
1.2 Productivity lost by family members (those in employment):
(1) Paid time off work.
(2) Non-paid time off work.
1.3 Associated with the legal issues that may occur.