TABLE 2.
Comparison of CLS study costs for using SMAC versus costs for CHROM for stool culturesa
| Medium | Cost of medium (cost per plate) | Cost of other materials | Total MLTb time (FTE) | No. of tests during study | Total study costc | Total annual costd | Total annual labord (FTE) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SMAC | $872.48 ($0.30) | $1,223.25 | 0.53 (220.8 h) | 3,116 | $10,744.12 | $51,571.78 | 2.54 |
| CHROM | $5,297.20 ($1.70) | $445.04 | 0.32 (70.1 h) | 3,116 | $8,501.77 | $40,807.94 | 1.54 |
a
The immediate effects of change to CHROM are as follows: cost of medium, $4,424.72 increase; cost of other materials, $778.21 decrease; total MLT time, 0.2-FTE decrease; total study cost, $2,242.35 decrease; total annual cost, $10,763.84 decrease; and total annual labor, 1.0-FTE (∼$65,000) decrease.
b
MLTs and laboratory assistants.
c
Total costs include the Canadian Goods and Services tax but not shipping and handling.
d
Projected annual resource savings extrapolated from the labor/material savings during the study period.