Exploring the economics of hospital care for people with dementia: A PhD Project
PhD Student
Beth Thompson
Funder
Health and Care Research Wales
Project Summary
Background
A 2009 Alzheimer's Society survey found that 77% of carers thought the quality of care received on hospital admission was unsatisfactory, with a lack of person centred care being the greatest cause for dissatisfaction. Whether it is for planned procedures or during crisis, hospital admission can be a time of great distress. People with dementia often get admitted to hospital with seemingly minor illnesses, yet end up staying for a long period of time. Longer periods of hospitalisation are often associated with a decline in physical health and a worsening of dementia symptoms.
Objective
To apply health economics methods to explore, model and understand how dementia affects costs of hospital care in older people.
Methods:
- A systematic literature review will be conducted, to explore what is currently known about hospital stays for people with dementia and the associated economic costs.
- A quantitative analysis of length of hospital stay for people with dementia admitted to Welsh Hospitals.
- A mixed methods approach (questionnaires and interviews) will be utilised, to explore what best practice initiatives in the care of people with dementia have been adopted and are employed in practice.
- A programme budgeting marginal analysis (PBMA) will be undertaken, to explore the effect of changing current funding patterns for hospital care of people with dementia, in order to make hospital stays a better experience for people with dementia and their carers.
For further information, please contact Beth Thompson at b.thompson@bangor.ac.uk.