Contrast packaging: Implications for cost and employee safety
Oct 15, 2006
Table 1: Follow-up costs associated with percutaneous exposure to at-risk bodily fluids by healthcare workers at two hospitals1
HOSPITAL A
Laboratory
Employee HBsAb
$15
Employee HIV antibody panel (ELISA)
$25
Source HBsAg
$15
Source HIV antibody panel (ELISA)
$25
Treatment
HBIG
$100
HBV vaccine (3 doses + blood tests)
$150
Tetanus
$10
AZT + 3TC ± IDV (4-week supply)
$650
Service
Emergency department visits
$85
Employee health visit (simple)
$50
Employee health visit (moderate)
$150
Employee health visit (extensive)
$250
Other
Employee time
$250
TOTAL
$1,775
HOSPITAL B
Laboratory
Employee hepatitis profile*
$141
Employee HIV antibody panel (ELISA)
$56
Employee HCV panel
$56
Source hepatitis profile*
$141
Source HIV antibody panel (ELISA)
$56
Source HCV panel
$56
Treatment
HBV vaccine (3 doses)
$127
Gamma globulin (5 cc)
$8
AZT + 3TC ± IDV (4-week supply)
$598
Tetanus
$2
HBIG (5 doses)
$465
Service
Emergency department visit
$40
Employee health visit
$60
Other
HBV booster
$30
TOTAL
$1,836
*(HBsAg, anti-HBs, anti-HBc)
HBsAb = hepatitis B surface antibody; ELISA = enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; HBsAg = hepatitis B surface antigen; HIV = human immunodeficiency virus; HBIG = hepatitis B immune globulin; HBV = hepatitis B virus; AZT + 3TC ± IDV = Combivir (Glaxo Wellcome, London, U.K.) with or without indinavir; HCV = hepatitis C virus
1Jagger J, Bentley M, Juillet E. Direct cost of follow-up for percutaneous and mucocutaneous exposures to at-risk body fluids: Data from two hospitals. Advanc Exposure Prevent. 1998;3(3):25-34.
