A peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) is an important vascular access device to administer certain intravenous (IV) therapies, which is traditionally placed using fluoroscopy in radiology suites. With advancing tip-confirmation technology, PICCs can be placed at the patient bedside by nurses, without any delays arising from wait time for the radiology suite or the need of transferring patients to the radiology suite, leading to time savings and allowing prompt start to IV therapy. This study aims to estimate the cost and time impact of placing PICCs at the bedside using tip-confirmation technology led by nurses versus in the radiology suite using fluoroscopy by radiologists.

A budget impact analysis was developed using Microsoft Excel to estimate the annual impact of inserting PICCs at the bedside versus in the radiology suite. The base case scenario was modelled for 1,000 PICCs placed in a private Australian hospital. Impact on bed days, labor time and overall cost was estimated by using global and local data sources for inputs. It was assumed that 100 percent PICC are placed in a radiology suite in current practice, while 95 percent are placed at the bedside and 5 percent in the radiology suite in future practice.

By shifting PICC insertion to the bedside using tip-confirmation technology, the model estimated a reduction of labor time by 221 hours and bed days by 113 days. Despite an increase in the cost of consumables by AUD34,041 (USD22,760) and reduction of Medicare Benefits Schedule rebate by AUD260,730 (USD174,328), overall cost savings of AUD1.01million (USD675,660) was observed due to significant savings due to the t reduced utilization of the radiology suite.

PICC insertion at the patient bedside using tip-confirmation technology by nurses may lead to time and cost savings as compared to placing them in the radiology suite. This can help alleviate the burden on radiology suites and reduce their wait times, potentially leading to timely treatment initiation and discharge. Since PICCs at the bedside are typically placed by specialized vascular access nurses, these cost savings can be redirected to employ and train them.