Healthcare-associated expenses due to injuries in the Philippines

ABSTRACT

@#<p style="text-align justify;"><strong>BACKGROUND:</strong> Injuries are common causes of hospital visits and deaths in the Philippines. The national healthcare-associated expenses due to these injuries have not been established.</p><p style="text-align justify;"><b>OBJECTIVE: </b>To estimate the healthcare-associated expenses due to injuries in the Philippines. Methods. Review of patient charts and patient interviews were conducted in 21 hospitals in the Philippines. A convenience sample of patients was interviewed to ascertain other direct medical and non-medical expenses.</p><p style="text-align justify;"><b>RESULTS:</b> Median admission costs based on hospital bills were road injuries PhP10,192.25, poisoning PhP4,402.00, burns PhP6,521.53, animal-related PhP5,105.92, other accidents PhP7,545.71 and intentional injuries PhP8,023.00. Based on survey, other expenses not stated in hospital bills include medical supplies (PhP4,000.00), diagnostic tests (PhP 2,000.00), and post-discharge expenses (PhP 1,000.00).</p><p style="text-align justify;"><strong>CONCLUSION:</strong> Expenses due to injuries varied according to cause. Admission expenses recorded in the bill were not the only healthcare-related expenses shouldered by the patient and accounted for 68.6-159.0% of the bill value.</p>