Abstract
The ultimate value of cost-benefit analysis lies in the potential for its use in the decision making process when one is confronted with competing strategies in the face of finite resources. In the case of nosocomial infection surveillance, the quest for ‘best’ strategy can be enhanced by cost-benefit analysis provided that the right questions are asked, valid and reliable data are generated to establish probabilities, and sensible interpretations of the data are made. Here, three groups of questions emerge: (a) given finite resources, where do we concentrate efforts ? (cost-benefit enquiry); (b) having once established the target, which method should be employed ? (cost-effectiveness, systems analysis exercise); (c) once a program has been initiated, how do we monitor its benefit relative to the input costs ? (combined cost-benefit, cost-effectiveness issue).
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© 1982 Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, The Hague
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Hudson, J.I. (1982). Comments on Issues in Studying the Cost-Benefit of Hospital Infection Surveillance and Control Programs. In: Van Furth, R. (eds) Evaluation and Management of Hospital Infections. New Perspectives in Clinical Microbiology, vol 5. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-7657-3_30
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-7657-3_30
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