Show Me The Money…Saved! Cost Savings From Acute Asthma Care in the School-Based Health Center

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

2022

Abstract

Chronic school absenteeism directly affects educational outcomes while reducing school funding and reimbursement. Asthma is a prevalent disease associated with chronic absenteeism. This quality improvement project demonstrated classroom seat time preserved through use of school-based health centers (SBHC). The project also highlights the educational benefits, reduced emergency department utilization, potential cost savings to hospitals, and lower overall health care costs. Visit summary data were collected and analyzed to show quality asthma care and cost savings. Of 44 acute asthma visits that returned to class, an average classroom time of 3:42 hours were saved per student during the 2017–2018 academic year, resulting in a combined total of 166:07 hours saved. A minimum potential cost savings was estimated to be $67,770 for all 44 visits. Data analysis of structural, process, and outcome measures through quality improvement tools can demonstrate cost savings of SBHC care, which advocates funding for this pediatric care model.

Comments

First Published January 13, 2021.

DOI

10.1177/1059840520986951

PMID

33438512

Publication

The Journal of School Nursing

Volume

38

Issue

2

Publisher

SAGE Journals

Pages

210-219

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