Cost Analysis in Burned Patients in northeastern of Iran

Introduction: Burn injuries cause varies socioeconomic costs that are imposed on patients, families, and societies. Over 85% of these injuries take place in low and middle income countries. Modern burn care is realized as an expensive, resource intensive effort, requiring specialized equipment, personnel and facilities to provide optimum care. Knowledge about the cost of burn treatment provides a financial perspective for better allocation of resources, and facilitates better performance in burn centers. Also cost analysis of burns can provide a framework for governmental authorities and insurance companies to budget for acute burn treatment and planning for prevention and public education programs. Method: This study, carried out to investigate the epidemiology and cost of hospitalization of burned patients admitted to the Imam Reza Hospital Burn Center in Razavi Khorasan province, Iran, between 20 March 2015 and 20 March 2016. To recognize burn costs in 759 burn patients, data from the burning registry program (Hospital Information System: HIS) were used. Causes were coded according to ICD, WHO X Rev (WHO) T20–T32. The cost analysis included the expenses during the demanded medical attention of the hospital. Result: The patients’ mean age was 26 ± 3.7 years. The total cost of patients was 81512585277 IRR (around 2516830 $). More than half of the patients were in Third-degree of burning. About 75.8% of them had a BBS lower than or equal to 40%, and only 24.2% of the patients had a BBS above 40% in Burns classified according to extent of body surface involved. 78% of the patients have no direct payment. Of total cost, 6% were patients out of pocket, 4% were hospital discount and 10% was government health subsidies. Conclusion: Ability to pay is considered in patients and management approaches should be reviewed to reduce their payments. Efforts should be intensified to prevent of burn injury and special health policies should be established to finance burns management.