Unit Cost of Anesthesia in Buriram Hospital

Abstract

Objective: To determine unit cost in anesthesia compare to service charge.
Methods: A descriptive retrospective study was performed by collecting datas from hospital’s financial records. Anesthesia cost was classified and determined by time and resources consuming then finally allocated to unit (anesthetic technique) by direct distribution method.
Results: In 2003, total cost of anesthesia department was 19,839,004.61 baths (Total direct cost 18,653,022.75 baths. Indirect cost 1,185,981.86 baths). There were 13,344 cases coming up for anesthesia services. The percentage of anesthesia techniques were 67.5 %, 10.43%, 3.85%, 16.55%, 1.87%, 0.75 % in GA with ET, GA with mask, IV anesthesia & neuroleptanalgesia, spinal block, epidural block and brachial plexus block respectively. The unit costs of each technique were 2,286.52 baths in GA with ET, 480.28 baths in GA with mask, 460.43 baths in, IV anesthesia & neuroleptanalgesia, 1,702.75 baths in spinal block, 4,783.14 baths in epidural block and 1,149.92 baths in brachial plexus block.
Conclusion: The unit costs were comparable to the service charges in GA with ET, spinal block and bracial plexus block. In epidural block, the unit cost was much more than the service charge. This may cause by long operation time and small groups of patient. In GA with mask and IV anesthesia & neuroleptanalgesia, the unit costs were less than the service charges. So we should improve anesthesia service charges proper with the unit costs.