1664 - The Utilization of Hospital Inpatient Care due to Tuberculosis, Republic of Ireland, 2015-2018

Background: The Republic of Ireland (ROI) is a low incidence TB country. The last reform of TB services in the ROI in 2003 recommended that most TB management should be delivered on an outpatient basis with 3 hospitals being designated as TB centres. Our aim was to describe the utilization of hospital inpatient care by patients with TB in the Republic of Ireland.

Methods: Hospital coding data were searched to identify TB hospital discharges between 01/01/2015-31/12/18. The projected cost of TB episodes of care was calculated using payment rules for public hospitals in Ireland.

Results: 1185 admissions with TB as the principal diagnosis were identified. 801/1185 (68%) episodes of care were emergencies and 384/1185 (32%) were elective We estimate that 65.1% (818/1257) patients with TB notified in the Republic of Ireland from 2015-2018 had an episode of care in a public hospital and (50.8%) 639/818 had an emergency episode of care. We estimate that mean annual cost of TB inpatient care per year in the ROI from 2015-2018 was €2,638,828 - 2,955,047, with emergency episodes of care costing an average of €2,250,926 - 2,557,397 per year.

Conclusion: The burden of TB on hospital inpatient care in the Republic of Ireland is significant. 
The national TB policy should change in recognition of this.