Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Health the efforts being made to introduce patient level costing across the health service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55074/12]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The HSE is currently undertaking a Patient Level Costing (PLC) project. This project involves tracing resources actually used by individual patients from the time of entry and admission to hospital until discharge. It enables individual hospitals to fully understand the economic and financial drivers underpinning service delivery.

The first PLC study commenced in 2010 and to date 3 costing studies have been completed. A further study is expected to be completed by the end of January 2013. The number of hospitals participating in the study has increased significantly from 6 in 2010 to 16 in 2012.

The PLC studies are an important prerequisite for the introduction of 'Money Follows the Patient' funding systems in acute hospitals.