Economic Analysis of the Impact of Mass Workplace COVID-19 Testing on Health and Healthcare Resource Savings: A Case Study of SEAT in Catalonia

Autor: Revollo, Deirós, Sarquella, Llibre, Tuldrà, Albert, Patricia, Estrada Cuxart, Clotet Sala, Such Faro, Francesc, del Rey, Boris, Navarrete Duran, José María, Bonaventura, Josep Maria, Hernández Guillamet, Jordi Ara, María, Guillem, Roger Paredes, Oriol, López Seguí
Rok vydání: 2021
Předmět:
Zdroj: SSRN Electronic Journal.
ISSN: 1556-5068
Popis: Background: The epidemiological situation generated by COVID-19 has cast into sharp relief the delicate balance between public health priorities and the economy, with businesses obliged to toe a line between employee health and continued production. In an effort to detect as many cases as possible, isolate contacts, cut transmission chains and limit the spread of the virus in the workplace, mass testing strategies have been implemented in both public health and industrial contexts to minimize the risk of disruption in activity. Objective: To evaluate the economic impact of mass workplace testing strategy as carried out by a large automotive company in Catalonia in terms of health and healthcare resource savings. Methodology: Analysis of health costs and impacts based on the estimation of mortality and morbidity avoided because of screening and the resulting savings in healthcare costs. Results: The economic impact of the mass workplace testing strategies (using both PCR and RAT tests) was approximately €10.44 per test performed or €5,575.49 per positive detected. 38% of this figure corresponds to savings derived from better use of health resources (hospital beds, ICU beds and follow-up of infected cases), while the remaining 62% corresponds to improved health rates due to avoided morbidity and mortality. In scenarios with higher positivity rates and a greater impact of the infection on health and the use of health resources, these results could be up to ten times higher (€130.24 per test performed or €69,565.59 per positive detected). Conclusion: In the context of COVID-19, preventive actions carried out by the private sector to safeguard industrial production also have concomitant public benefits in the form of savings in healthcare costs. Thus, governmental bodies need to recognize the value of implementing such strategies in private settings and facilitate them through, for example, subsidies. Funding Statement: This research received no external funding. Declaration of Interests: None declared.
Databáze: OpenAIRE