AlManie Sarah A, AlHazami Mai S, Ebrahim Alyah, Attique Muhammad S
Department of Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy-Kuwait University, Kuwait City, Kuwait.
Respiratory Department- Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Hospital, Kuwait City, Kuwait.
Clinicoecon Outcomes Res. 2024 Jul 24;16:509-522. doi: 10.2147/CEOR.S467543. eCollection 2024.
This study aims to estimate the direct medical cost of COVID-19 hospitalizations and to utilize prevalence estimates from Jaber Al-Ahmad Hospital to estimate the direct medical cost of all hospitalized adult patients in Kuwait using a decision tree analysis.
A cost-of-illness model was developed. The Ministry of Health perspective was considered, direct medical costs were estimated from July 1st to September 30th, using a bottom-up approach. The mean cost per hospitalized patient was estimated using a decision analysis model. Prevalence estimates of ambulance use, use of ER, ICU admission, and mortality were considered in the current study. Patients aged 18 years and above with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 were included. One-way sensitivity analysis and probabilistic sensitivity analysis (PSA) were performed.
Data for 2986 patients were analyzed. The mean age was 61 (SD= 11) years old. Most of the patients were Kuwaiti (2864, 95.91%), and more than half were females (1677, 56.16%). Of the total hospital admissions, 417 patients (14%) were admitted to the ICU. The average length of the hospital stay was 11 (SD= 9) days, and among all hospital admissions, 270 (9.04%) patients died. The total estimated direct medical cost of hospitalized patients at Jaber Al-Ahmad Hospital was $47,213,768 (14,283,203.6 KD). The average cost of hospital stay per patient was estimated at $15,498 (4,688.60 KD). The weighted average cost per hospitalized patient in Kuwait was estimated at $16,373 (4,953.08 KD). The total direct medical cost of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Kuwait during the study period was estimated at $174,372,450 (52,751,502 KD).
The COVID-19 pandemic constituted a significant burden on the Kuwaiti healthcare system. The findings of this study urge the need for preventive care strategies to reduce adverse health outcomes and the economic impact of the pandemic.
本研究旨在估算新冠肺炎住院患者的直接医疗费用，并利用贾比尔·艾哈迈德医院的患病率估算值，通过决策树分析来估算科威特所有成年住院患者的直接医疗费用。
建立了疾病成本模型。采用自下而上的方法，从卫生部的角度估算了7月1日至9月30日的直接医疗费用。使用决策分析模型估算每位住院患者的平均费用。本研究考虑了救护车使用、急诊室使用、重症监护病房（ICU）收治情况及死亡率的患病率估算值。纳入确诊为新冠肺炎的18岁及以上患者。进行了单因素敏感性分析和概率敏感性分析（PSA）。
分析了2986例患者的数据。平均年龄为61岁（标准差=11）。大多数患者为科威特人（2864例，95.91%），超过半数为女性（1677例，56.16%）。在所有住院患者中，417例（14%）入住了ICU。平均住院时间为11天（标准差=9），在所有住院患者中，270例（9.04%）患者死亡。贾比尔·艾哈迈德医院住院患者的直接医疗费用总计47,213,768美元（14,283,203.6科威特第纳尔）。每位患者的平均住院费用估计为15,498美元（4,688.60科威特第纳尔）。科威特每位住院患者的加权平均费用估计为16,373美元（4,953.08科威特第纳尔）。研究期间科威特新冠肺炎住院患者的直接医疗费用总计估计为174,372,450美元（52,751,502科威特第纳尔）。
新冠肺炎疫情给科威特医疗系统带来了沉重负担。本研究结果表明需要采取预防保健策略，以减少不良健康后果和疫情的经济影响。
