There were more than 31 million nonfatal injuries treated in hospitals in 2013, which racked up more than $168 billion in costs for medical care, emergency transportation, drugs and physical therapy, according to a new analysis posted in Injury Epidemiology.
For the study, researchers analyzed 2013 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project inpatient and emergency department datasets to estimate the total cost of hospital-treated injuries.
Here are five report insights:
1. About one of every 10 patients treated in the hospital or ED comes because of an injury.
2. Hospital-treated nonfatal injuries cost an estimated $1.85 trillion each year. That number includes $168 billion in medical spending, $223 billion in future-work losses due to permanent disability and $1.46 trillion in quality of life lost.
3. The average cost per injury was about $59,700. The medical spending portion of that estimate was $5,400 per injury.
4. The most common injury was falling or being hit by an object, accounting for more than 12 million hospital or ED visits. The average estimated cost of a fall or being struck by an object was $66,857 per injury. That estimate includes medical care, lost work and lost quality of life.
5. Total cost per injury was highest for the oldest and youngest age groups. For those under 1 year old, injuries cost $97,623. The average cost was $71,493 for those 65 years and older. Those estimates considered medical costs, lost work and lost quality of life.