Updated New Zealand health system cost estimates from health events by sex, age and proximity to death: Further improvements in the age of ‘big data’

Abstract

AIMS: We aimed to: (i) update previous health system cost estimates (Blakely et al NZMJ 2014;127(1393)) using updated costing data and more refined methods; and (ii) provide context around current developments in the improved networking of health information systems in New Zealand. METHODS: As per our previous work, national health event data were linked for hospitalisations, inpatient procedures, outpatient events, pharmaceuticals, laboratory tests, and primary care consultations for the whole country. For each health event a cost was assigned. Health expenditure by sex and age, and proximity to death (last 6 or 12 months of life), was then calculated. RESULTS: The updated and more accurate..