Chuesakoolvanich Kittisak
Department of Medicine, Surin Hospital, Surin, Thailand.
Respirology. 2007 May;12(3):433-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1843.2007.01032.x.
The hospitalization of asthma patients accounts for substantial costs in any health-care system. However, the utilization of medical resources and the cost of hospitalizing asthma patients in Thailand have never been evaluated. This study aimed to evaluate the utilization of health-care resources and itemize the cost of hospitalizing asthma patients in a regional hospital in north-east Thailand.
A cross-sectional, retrospective study was conducted at Surin Hospital, a 697-bed, regional hospital in north-east Thailand. The study included 183 adults (> or =15 years of age) who were admitted with acute asthma. Demographic data, resource-utilization parameters and itemized costs were recorded.
The average hospital cost was 5,809.3 +/- 6,587.4 Thai Baht (US $134.5 +/- 152.5) per patient (range, 740-57,980 Thai Baht or US $17.1-1,342.1). Medications were the primary hospital expense (47.2%), followed by hospital charges (13.5%), nursing care (13.0%) and respiratory therapy (12.2%). Fifteen per cent of patients accounted for 45% of total hospital costs. Significant predictors of increased total hospital cost were: (i) age > or =60 years; (ii) presence of comorbid conditions; (iii) admission to the intensive care unit; and/or (iv) prolonged hospital stay.
Despite the low unit costs for inpatient care in Thailand, the cost of hospitalizing asthma patients (especially the elderly) constitutes a substantial burden to the health-care system.
在任何卫生保健系统中，哮喘患者的住院治疗都会产生巨额费用。然而，泰国哮喘患者的医疗资源利用率和住院费用从未得到评估。本研究旨在评估泰国东北部一家地区医院哮喘患者的卫生保健资源利用率，并逐项列出其住院费用。
在泰国东北部一家拥有697张床位的地区医院素林医院开展了一项横断面回顾性研究。该研究纳入了183例因急性哮喘入院的成年人（年龄≥15岁）。记录了人口统计学数据、资源利用参数和逐项费用。
每位患者的平均住院费用为5,809.3±6,587.4泰铢（134.5±152.5美元）（范围为740 - 57,980泰铢或17.1 - 1,342.1美元）。药物是主要的住院费用（47.2%），其次是医院收费（13.5%）、护理（13.0%）和呼吸治疗（12.2%）。15%的患者占总住院费用的45%。总住院费用增加的显著预测因素为：（i）年龄≥60岁；（ii）存在合并症；（iii）入住重症监护病房；和/或（iv）住院时间延长。
尽管泰国住院治疗的单位成本较低，但哮喘患者（尤其是老年人）的住院费用对卫生保健系统构成了沉重负担。
