Unit cost of mental health services of Mental Health Department 2004

Abstract

Objective: This research was to analyse the 2004  cost of outpatients, inpatients, and diagnosis groups of public psychiatric hospitals under  the Department of Mental Health and to compare  the study results with  those of previous study in 2000.

Materials and methods: This retrospective study was a survey of service providers’ points of views. Cost  from temporary units was appropriately allocated to service centers by using the simultaneous equation method.

Results: The hospitals were allocated services budget of 2,030 million baht and spent 985,062,887 baht (48%)  for labor cost, followed by material cost 828,737,724 baht (41%), and
investment cost 219,004,114 baht (11%), respectively. Cost of inpatient was 20,438 baht per case or 656 baht per day and cost of outpatient was 599 baht per case. For all inpatients,  the average length of stay was 31 days per case. When considering cost by principal diagnosis group, mental retardation recorded the highest cost of 144,281 baht per case, followed by schizophrenia 28,230 baht per case, organic disorders 20,989 baht per case, and drugs related disorders 18,559 baht per case, respectively.

Conclusion: The study results were useful and gave a preliminary guide for budget planning and policy setting for public health towards Thai’s Mental Health resources allocation