The City of Hialeah is the sixth largest municipality in Florida, serving over 224,000 residents living in approximately 20-square miles.
Crutches cost about $15 to $40 for a basic pair or up to $100 or more for deluxe forearm crutches. Physical therapy might be necessary for regaining strength and balance. Several sessions per week at $50 to $75 per hour for six to eight weeks could cost $1,000 or more.
METHOD: A retrospective review of the clinical records of all 264 patients admitted with an ankle fracture requiring surgical stabilisation between 1 March 2007 and 29 February 2008. Patient records were examined for a minimum of 6 months after primary admission. A mean cost per patient was calculated based on patient-level hospital resource use.