Cost Comparison of In-Suite Versus Portable Tunneled Femoral Central Line Placements in Children Using Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing.

Objective: Compare the cost of placing tunneled femoral central lines in the interventional radiology suite to portable bedside placement using time-driven activity-based costing.

Methods: Detailed process maps were created using information generated from interviews with frontline staff, direct shadowing of patient procedures (19 patients-8 in-suite, 11 portable; patient age 4 days to 37 months; 6 males, 13 females), and electronic medical record review (80 patients-44 in-suite, 36 portable; patient age 1 day to 20 months; 42 males, 38 females) who underwent a tunneled femoral central line placement at a tertiary care pediatric hospital from January 1, 2018, to June 30, 2018. Procedures were conducted in-suite using fluoroscopy guidance or portably at the patient's bedside using ultrasound.

Cost Comparison of Ultrasound Versus MRI to Diagnose Adolescent Female Patients Presenting with Acute Abdominal/Pelvic Pain Using Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing.

Rationale And Objectives: To compare the cost of ultrasound (US) versus magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using time-driven activity-based costing in adolescent female patients with suspected appendicitis.

Materials And Methods: Process maps were created using data from electronic medical record review and patient shadowing for adolescent female patients undergoing US or noncontrast MRI exams of the abdomen and pelvis for suspected appendicitis. Capacity cost rates for all personnel, equipment, facilities, and supplies in each exam pathway were established from institutional accounting data.