Skip to main content

Table 2 Micro-costing related characteristics of studies

From: Micro-costing in health and medicine: a critical appraisal

Characteristics

N (%)

Whether referred to its own methodology as micro-costing

 Yes

97 (49.7%)

 No

98 (50.3%)

Separate reporting of quantity and unit cost data

 Yes

27 (13.8%)

 No

168 (86.2%)

Classification of transparency of cost estimates [8]

 All components of costs were described and data for both quantity and unit cost of resources were reported for each component

27 (13.8%)

 All components of costs were described and data for costs in each component were reported

157 (80.5%)

 All components of costs were described but data for costs in each component were not reported

9 (4.6%)

 Only scope of costing was described but components of costs were not Described

2 (1.0%)

Cost components includeda

 Personnel

186 (95.4%)

 Materials/supplies/consumables

172 (88.2%)

 Overhead

133 (68.2%)

 Equipment/device

118 (60.5%)

 Facility

112 (57.4%)

 Medication

95 (48.7%)

 Transportation

74 (37.9%)

 Laboratory/diagnostic/imaging test

68 (34.9%)

 Productivity loss

37 (19.0%)

 Food

28 (14.4%)

 Furniture

22 (11.3%)

 Child/elderly care

2 (1.0%)

 Other

60 (30.8%)

Method of quantity data collectiona

 Provider/staff interview

71 (36.4%)

 Hospital administrative cost/accounting database

57 (29.2%)

 Time-motion study

42 (21.5%)

 Medical chart/record review

30 (15.4%)

 Patient self-report

25 (12.8%)

 Synthesis of literature

6 (3.1%)

 Clinical guideline

3 (1.5%)

 Other

112 (57.4%)

 Not clear

32 (16.4%)

Method of unit cost data collectiona

 Invoice price

62 (31.8%)

 Hospital administrative cost/accounting database

60 (30.8%)

 National/regional/provincial/hospital/insurer fee schedule

47 (24.1%)

 Hospital/clinic/provider price catalogue

8 (4.1%)

 Human resources/payroll record

7 (3.6%)

 Other

126 (64.6%)

 Not clear

37 (19.0%)

  1. Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding
  2. a A study may fall into more than one of the listed categories