Economic Analysis of Hospitalised Paediatric Community-Acquired-Pneumonia at a Private Hospital in Southern Vietnam, Fiscal Year 2015-2016

Abstract

Introduction: Community-Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) is a commonly occurring serious disease causing substantial morbidity and mortality worldwide. Various studies of treatment costs for CAP cases indicate that it presents a heavy economic burden to society. Aim: The present study was conducted to estimate the direct medical costs for CAP treatment at a private hospital in Southern of Vietnam. Materials and Methods: A retrospective, prevalence-based study was conducted using the electronic medical records database from the hospital to calculate direct medical costs of hospitalised paediatric (under 18-year-old) cases (ICD-10 code J10-J18) based on hospital, healthcare payer and patient perspectives from January, 2015 to December, 2016. Results: There were 855 patients (males accounted for 54.7%) suffering from CAP in the period 2015–2016, with an average age of 10.8±1.8 years. Patients stayed at hospital an average of 6.5±5.5 days. The average treatment cost per case was ₫VND 40 million and hospital beds accounted for the highest proportion of the total costs (41.5%). The total economic burden caused by CAP in the private hospital from 2015 to 2016 was over ₫VND 34.1 billion. Conclusion: CAP is a high-burden disease that should receive more attention in treatment and prevention. The findings of this study give policy makers more evidence confirming the high treatment cost of CAP in the Vietnamese context.

Keywords

• cap
• cost of illness
• direct medical cost
• economic analysis