PRM3 Standard Cost List for Economic Evaluation in Thailand

Abstract

To develop standard unit costs of medical services provided by different health facilities, cost of patients coming for treatments, and reference values used in the economic evaluation. The project was conducted as a number of sub-projects. Analysis of unit cost of medical services was conducted in 5 hospitals employing the relative value unit method. Cost of health center services was calculated in 19 health centers employing standard costing and micro-costing methods. Cost of pharmaceutical services was analysed in 11 hospitals. Logistics cost of vaccines under the national vaccination program covered the supply chain from the central supplier to provincial health offices. Cost of patients coming to have treatments was collected by interviewing 900 patients from 6 health centers, 3 district hospitals and 3 provincial/regional hospitals. Reference values were obtained from documentary research. The results were published in a book, and can be accessed via the Health Intervention and Technology Assessment (HITAP) website (http://db.hitap.net/). They are composed of 3091 items of hospital medical services in two categories of hospitals: district and provincial/regional hospitals. Services of hospital pharmacy departments, and health services provided by health centers, include 9 and 68 items, respectively. Logistics cost of vaccines is presented as cost per dose of the vaccine supplied. Cost of patients is composed of distance, time, transportation cost and meal cost. Reference values are useful years of capital assets (i.e. buildings, vehicles, furniture and equipment), minimum wage, and gross domestic product per capita. This standard cost menu and reference values should make economic evaluations faster and more convenient. This is the first standard cost menu to be developed for Thailand. Some limitations exist, which will be improved upon in the next revision.