posted on 2024-10-14, 02:03authored byEJ Callander, J Fenwick, R Donnellan-Fernandez, J Toohill, DK Creedy, J Gamble, Haylee FoxHaylee Fox, D Ellwood
Objective This study sought to compare costs for women giving birth in different public hospital services across Queensland and their babies.
Methods A whole-of-population linked administrative dataset was used containing all health service use in a public hospital in Queensland for women who gave birth between 1 July 2012 and 30 June 2015 and their babies. Generalised linear models were used to compare costs over the first 1000 days between hospital and health services.
Results The mean unadjusted cost for each woman and her baby (n = 134 910) was A$17406 in the first 1000 days. After adjusting for clinical and demographic factors and birth type, women and their babies who birthed in the Cairns Hospital and Health Service (HHS) had costs 19% lower than those who birthed in Gold Coast HHS (95% confidence interval (CI) –32%, –4%); women and their babies who birthed at the Mater public hospitals had costs 28% higher than those who birthed at Gold Coast HHS (95% CI 8, 51).
Conclusions There was considerable variation in costs between hospital and health services in Queensland for the costs of delivering maternity care. Cost needs to be considered as an important additional element of monitoring programs.