Table 1.

Source, sector distribution, and value of applied costs used in costing calculations for acute respiratory illnesses

Resource item	Sector	Source of applied cost	Applied cost	Value
Primary care visits	Patient and family	Medicare Australia [60,61]	Mean patient contribution per service by quarter, patient and bulk billed services from general practitioners and vocationally registered general practitioners	January to March 2003: $4.03 April to June 2003: $4.08 July to September 2003: $4.34 October to December 2003: $4.61 January 2004: $4.64
	Health	Medicare Australia [62,63]	85% (reimbursable amount) of code 23, Medicare Benefits Schedule	January to October 2003: $25.05 November 2003 to January 2004: $25.70
Specialist visits	Patient and family	Medicare Australia [60,61]	Mean patient contribution per specialist visit by quarter	January to March 2003: $19.30 April to June 2003: $19.56 July to September 2003: $19.74 October to December 2003: $20.36 January 2004: $21.65
	Health	Medicare Australia [62,63]	85% (reimbursable amount) of code 104, Medicare Benefits Schedule	January to October 2003: $58.95 November 2003 to January 2004: $60.45
Other health care provider visits	Patient and family	Pilot study [23]	Mean other health care provider visit cost from pilot study, derived from 10 visits	$15.63 per visit to allied and alternative health professionals
Hospital emergency department visits without admission	Health	The Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing [64]	Australian Ambulatory Classes group 23 (other respiratory diseases without procedure)	$40 per visit
Diagnostic tests	15% Patient and family 85% Health	Medicare Australia [62,63]	Medicare Benefits Scheduled fee for diagnostic tests	January 2003 to January 2004 $28.35 Chest x-ray (code 58500) January to October 2003 $14.20 Full blood examination (code 65070) $16.35 Urea, electrolytes, creatinine, liver function tests (code 66515) $17.10 Urine microscopy, culture, identification, and sensitivity (code 69333) November 2003 to January 2004 $14.65 Full blood examination (code 65070) $16.85 Urea, electrolytes, creatinine, liver function tests (code 66515) $17.60 Urine microscopy, culture, identification, and sensitivity (code 69333)
Antibiotics	Patient and family	Pilot study [23]	Mean antibiotic course cost from pilot study, derived from 42 courses	$13.80 per course
Time seeking health care away from work	61% Patient and family 39% Employer	Australian Bureau of Statistics [26]	Average weekly, full-time adult total earnings for females and males used to provide an hourly rate (based on a 38 hour working week)	January 2003 Female $21.62 Male $26.67 February to April 2003 Female $21.94 Male $27.10 May to July 2003 Female $22.25 Male $27.51 August to October 2003 Female $22.49 Male $27.81 November 2003 to January 2004 Female $22.71 Male $28.00
Time seeking health care away from usual activity	Patient and family
Excess time caring for ill child away from work	31% Patient and family 69% Employer
Excess time caring for ill child away from usual activity	Patient and family
Hospitalization	Health	Public hospital admission National Hospital Cost Data Collection [65,66]	Victorian values for code E62C (Respiratory infection/inflammation without complication or co-morbidity)	Round 7 (2002/2003) $2,331 Round 8 (2003/2004) $2,441