Injection projections and possible future cost savings
The observed number of injections for 2014–21 for St. Olavs Hospital and predicted annual injections for 2022–27 are shown in Fig. Number of administered and projected injections at St. Olavs HospitalAn assumed annual increase in injection prevalence of four per cent implies an estimated 10 602 injections in 2027 compared to the observed 6817 in 2021. Applying a more modest growth factor of two per cent implies an estimated 9 374 injections in 2027. By combining annual injection numbers and the difference in hospital cost per injection in favour of nurses, we estimated annual costs saved for St. Olavs Hospital by task-shifting to nurses. The annual mean saving for the period 2017–21 was 33 705 € which in sum for the period was 168 527 €. The estimated total and potential cost savings for the period 2022–27 were 293 527 € (four per cent growth) and 258 017 € (two per cent growth), with an annual mean of 48 921 € and 43 003 €, respectively (Fig. Estimated cost savings after task-shifting injections from physicians to nurses