A5V4d

Health economics
Table 11.2 Comparative cost of thermometers that can provide axilla measurements in a large teaching
Type of thermometer
Singlemeasurement
contact/chemical
(phase change)
Reusable
contact/chemical
(phase change)
Electronic contact Compact contact
electronic
Model used 3M Tempadot EzeTemp Sure Temp. Plus Microlife MT 1671
Supply of
thermometers
One per
measurement
One per patient
episode
One per ward One per bed
Purchase cost £0.07 £0.14 £150.00 £3.36
Price of consumables items and ongoing costs (per item)
Covers £0.0275
Battery life
(readings)
Cost of
batteries
Cost of
cleaning
(alcohol wipes)
5,000 3,000
£0.75 £0.2200
£0.008 £0.008 £0.008
Annual cost of consumables and ongoing costs calculated using the assumptions stated in Table 11.1
Initial purchase
cost
Replacement
cost per year
(10%)
Number of
batteries/year
Cost of
batteries /year
Cost of alcohol
wipes/year
Cost of
covers/year
Total cost
consumables
Time to
reading
(seconds)
Seconds on
reading/year
Hours on
reading/year
Annual staff
costs
£108,500 £12,040 £67,500 £7,409
£741
310 517
£233 £114
£12,400 £248 £12,400
£42,625
£12,400 £43,416 £13,771
180 180 6 60
279,000,000 279,000,000 9,300,000 93,000,000
77,500 77,500 2,583 25,833
£1,705,000 £1,705,000 £56,833 £568,333
245