Cost and length-of-stay of hospital care billed to the ministry of public health by private hospitals

ABSTRACT

Two measures of care were estimated from a random sample of 2033 [65%] bills presented to the ministry of public health [MOPH] by hospitals from all over Lebanon in February 1994. average length of stay was 5 days in surgery, 5.5 days in medicine, and 2.4 days in obstetrics. Average daily costs of hospitalization were 296.971 LL [almost equal to 170 us$] in surgery, 142,690 LL [almost equal to 81.5 us$] in medicine, and 225.000 LL [almost equal to 129 us$] in obstetrics. While neither one of these outcomes was affected by patients' sex, differences were found by age and hospitals' geographical location and classification. Implications and recommendations for effective evaluation of subsidized care, and better allocation of public funds are discussed