THE AUTHORS STUDIED 47 HOSPITALIZED MOTORCYCLISTS ADMITTED THROUGH THE MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM DURING A 1-YEAR PERIOD. FOUR FACTORS WERE STUDIED: (1) HOSPITALIZATION CHARGES, (2) HOSPITALIZATION LENGTHS, (3) MEDICAL INSURANCE PROFILES, AND (4) PATTERNS OF INJURIES. THE MEAN HOSPITALIZATION CHARGES WERE 15114 US DOLLARS. THE TOTAL HOSPITAL CHARGES FOR THIS GROUP OF PATIENTS WERE NEARLY 700000 DOLLARS. THESE FIGURES EXCLUDED THE COSTS OF SUBSEQUENT ADMISSIONS, SURGEONS' FEES, REHABILITATION, VOCATIONAL TRAINING, LEGAL SUITS, AND LOSS OF WAGES. SIXTEEN PER CENT OF THE CHARGES WERE UNCOLLECTABLE. FORTY-SIX PER CENT OF THE PATIENTS WERE UNINSURED. THE AVERAGE HOSPITALIZATION WAS 22 DAYS. THE MEAN AGE WAS 22 YEARS AND 90% OF PATIENTS WERE LESS THAN 30 YEARS OLD. EIGHTY-FIVE PER CENT OF THE PATIENTS SUSTAINED AT LEAST ONE FRACTURE. LOWER EXTREMITY FRACTURES OCCURRED IN 60%, OPEN FRACTURES IN 55%, AND TIBIA FRACTURES OCCURRED IN 33% OF THE PATIENTS. ASSOCIATED HEAD, CHEST, OR ABDOMINAL INJURIES OCCURRED IN 40% OF THE PATIENTS. PATIENTS WITH MULTIPLE FRACTURES, OPEN FRACTURES, AND GRADE 3 OPEN TIBIA FRACTURES HAD SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER HOSPITAL BILLS.(Author/publisher).
Abstract