cost of outpatient care of diabetics in kaser El-Aini hospital [Egypt]

Six hundred adult diabetic [510 of type II, 90 of type I, both sexes] were included in this study. Each patient was interrogated about the history including classical data of diabetes, types of treatment and other medications, daily doses and cost prices of each medication, methods of home self monitoring and monthly cost of such methods and cost of management of specific complications. Each patient was also examined for complication of diabetes mellitus, Investigations were done to assess the metabolic adjustment. It is concluded that the overall direct cost of the outpatient diabetic care per patient per year was 349.27 L.E. [105.39$] including 48.6 L.E. [14.67$] for oral hyopoglycemic drugs, 72.1 L.E. [23.57$] for insulin, 48.9 L.E. [14.76$] for syringes, 58.68 L.E. [17.71$] for test strips, 34.68 [10.46$] for Benedict's solution, 43.86 L.E. [13.23$] for physician visits [occasionally] and 36.54 L.E. [11$] for laboratory services. These figures should be taken into consideration during studying the health economics in Egypt especially if we know that the per capita income per month is low, about 130 L.E. [39.23#] in our study. A diabetic patient may have to spend 25% of his monthly income in outpatient care