Cost Analysis of Drug Expenditures in Major Diseases Samchai Hospital Kalasin Province

Abstract

     This research has the objective to study the cost of medicines among outpatients receiving medical treatment at Samchai Hospital Kalasin Province. In important disease groups with high drug costs. It is a descriptive research. By conducting a retrospective study From the fiscal year 2019 - 2023 from the hospital's electronic database. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The sample group includes electronic prescriptions of patients with all treatment rights who receive services at the outpatient department. Data were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively.
     The results of the research found that the total cost of medicines in outpatient services increased from 4,995,360.27 baht to 7,097,684.48 baht, representing 42.09 percent. The number of service recipients increased from 38,546 times to 41,840 times, accounting for 8.56 percent. The cost of medicine per session increased from 129.59 baht to 169.63 baht, accounting for 30.90 percent. The top 3 disease groups with the highest number of service visits are diabetes and high blood pressure and acute pharyngitis. Disease groups with high drug costs include diabetes, drug costs of 2,138,634.97 baht (30.13 percent), equal to 285.68 baht per time, high blood pressure, drug costs of 793,794.64 baht (11.18 percent), equal to 203.28 baht per time, and asthma. and COPD, drug costs were 587,219.86 baht (8.27 percent) equal to 428.94 baht per time. Characteristics of disease groups with high drug costs and number of times receiving services are chronic non-communicable diseases. The drugs that result in higher drug costs are the drugs specifically for chronic non-communicable diseases. Especially diabetes which is a drug with high drug costs increasing the number of patients and there are more disease complications in disease groups that use specific drugs for diseases where drug costs are high which affects the cost of medicines. However, if there is a policy to follow up on drug use and the rational use of drugs among patients with chronic non-communicable diseases. Including setting up a system for controlling, monitoring drug costs and disbursement of drug costs in each health insurance fund to be accurate and complete. It can be used as supporting information for making policy decisions regarding drug cost control effective.