Costs of Inpatient Care for Schiaophrenia at Khon Kaen Rajanagarindra Psychiatric Hospital

Abstract

Objective :

To analyze the direct costs of inpatient care for schizophrenia in Thailand over a 3-year period.

Methods :

Computerized data for schizophrenia patients were obtained from Khon Kaen Rajanagarindra Psychiatric Hospital between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2012 with information on age, gender, education, marital status, number of co-morbidities, type of payment schemes, length of hospital stay and components of direct cost. A generalized linear model with a log link function and gamma distribution was used to determine the predictors of total hospital cost.

Results :

The average direct cost of schizophrenia inpatient care was estimated at 20,157.10 Baht per admission over a 3-year period. Hospital bed (40.78%) and inpatient care service/physician fee (39.56%) constituted the highest cost. The total costs per admission were highest in patients who had made a suicide attempted (31,888.48 Baht) and lowest (11,014.85 Baht) for schizophrenia patients under the social security scheme.Factors associated with the total direct cost for inpatient schizophrenia were gender, age, type of payment scheme and behavior under surveillance.

Conclusion :

These findings suggest which factors could be focused on to reduce admission costs and to assist in health services planning.