Table 2

Average health costs, years of life lost and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for higher and lower proportional use of agency-employed nurses, 2013–2015

Agency nurse proportionTotalExcluding
predominantly
non-Aboriginal
communities
Excluding
hospitalisations
for renal dialysis
Potentially
preventable
hospitalisations
n (person-months)Higher (≥13%)7 04 2406 36 5257 04 2407 04 240
Lower (<13%)5 62 4684 35 2095 62 4685 62 468
YLL (per 1000 person-months)Higher (≥13%)14.613.714.60.0
Lower (<13%)13.312.813.30.1
P value<0.001<0.001<0.0010.978
Average health cost ($) (per 1000 person-months)Higher (≥13%)$480 915$503 989$446 289$301 567
Lower (<13%)$470 145$532 494$435 375$295 207
P value<0.001<0.001<0.001<0.001
ICER$7964−$29 310$8070−$70 757
  • ICER, incremental cost-effectiveness ratio; YLL, year of life lost.