Mean episode, total and annual direct healthcare costs for emergency medical services treated shock according to patient characteristics, admission characteristics and event location
| N | Mean episode cost (SD) | Total cost | Cost per annum | |
| Total cost | 21 334 | $A11 031 (22284) | $A279 726 715 | $A62 161 492 |
| Gender | ||||
| Male | 11 688 | $A11 468 (23921) | $A159 568 316 | $A35 459 626 |
| Female | 9641 | $A10 502 (20115) | $A120 109 988 | $A26 691 109 |
| Total prehospital (ambulance) cost | 21 334 | $A1913 (2661) | $A40 807 675 | $A9 068 372 |
| ED scenarios | ||||
| ED management and admission to hospital | 8951 | $A20 760 (28405) | $A214 304 842 | $A47 623 298 |
| ED management and discharge | 969 | $A2468 (1605) | $A2 540 061 | $A564 458 |
| ED management and transfer to other hospital | 509 | $A31 047 (24746) | $A19 091 923 | $A4 242 650 |
| Discharge against medical advice | 107 | $A2602 (3345) | $A300 289 | $A66 731 |
| Died in ED | 812 | $A4169 (1160) | $A3 810 292 | $A846 732 |
| Deceased on arrival | 87 | $A2004 (3570) | $A179 374 | $A39 861 |
| Duration of hospitalisation* | ||||
| 0–24 hours admission | 5587 | $A7685 (8527) | $A50 159 276 | $A11 146 506 |
| 24–72 hours admission | 1967 | $A15 343 (11043) | $A36 031 014 | $A8 006 892 |
| >72 hours admission | 4560 | $A33 263 (38215) | $A183 032 654 | $A40 673 923 |
| Admission location | ||||
| ICU | 3658 | $A37 697 (41156) | $A166 543 070 | $A37 009 571 |
| ICU, ≤48 hours | 1599 | $A18 751 (13702) | $A35 868 816 | $A7 970 848 |
| ICU, >48 hours | 2059 | $A52 410 (48669) | $A130 674 250 | $A29 038 722 |
| Coronary care unit | 1038 | $A32 616 (34571) | $A40 772 464 | $A9 060 547 |
| General ward | 5622 | $A13 151 (14471) | $A91 682 092 | $A20 373 798 |
| Initial event location | ||||
| Metropolitan | 15 197 | $A11 234 (23151) | $A203 930 063 | $A45 317 792 |
| Inner regional | 4781 | $A10 827 (20530) | $A60 851 803 | $A13 522 623 |
| Outer regional/remote | 1191 | $A9392 (17942) | $A12 984 520 | $A2 885 449 |
Mean and total costs are calculated assuming the 2767 unlinked patients transferred to hospital had the same diagnoses and cost profile as those with successful linkage. All costs are presented in Australian dollars, adjusted to the 2020/2021 financial year using the Australian Health Price Index.
*Including patients admitted only to ED.
ED, emergency department; ICU, intensive care unit.