Table 6

Estimated costs of videoconference equipment and telecommunications for a new site

Fixed costs
Provider site ($)
Patient site ($)
Total ($)
Annual equivalent cost ($)1

Videoconference unit
7000
7000
14,000
3234
TV monitor
500
500
1000
230
ISDN installation2
885
885
1770
n/a
Video-otoscope
0
15,000
15,000
3465
Document camera
0
5000
5000
1155
Trolley
750
750
1500
346





ISDN line rental3
2160
2160
4320
4320

Total
11,295
20,295
31,590
12,750

1 Depreciated at 5% annually with no resale value at the end of 5 years.

2 This is a sunk cost occurring in year one only.

3 3 ISDN lines for 12 month ($60 per line per month).

Xu et al. BMC Health Services Research 2008 8:30   doi:10.1186/1472-6963-8-30