Publication:

Expenses incurred by hospitalised patients in Era’s Lucknow Medical College, Lucknow

Background Significant amount is spent by the patients when they attend tertiary care hospitals for treatment inspite of free services. The objective of this study was to account expenses on the medication, consumable items for patient care and food and transport.

Methods Fifty patients were recruited, 10 patients each from pediatrics, general medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, general surgery and orthopaedics indoor wards. First two patients admitted on the day of admission were enrolled and followed for three days. The cost of patient’s expenses on investigations, medicines and consumables, travel to the hospital and food on self and relatives during hospitalization was estimated with the help of a questionnaire.

Results The expenditure was more on the patients suffering from surgical conditions. Total expenditure on the patients admitted in the orthopedics, surgery and surgical cases of obstetrics and gynaecology wards was INR 31985/, INR 11798/- and INR 14746/- for 3 days respectively. Out of the total expenses INR 1095/-, INR 1150/- and INR 1316/- were spent on food and travel of the patients and family members to the hospital for admission in orthopedics, surgery and surgical cases of obstetrics and gynaecology wards respectively. In patients with non-surgical conditions like medicine, pediatrics and non-operative cases of obstetrics and gynaecology the total cost per patient was INR 5610/-, INR 5037/- and INR 4416/- respectively.

Conclusions Patients treated in the private teaching hospital spent significant number of rupees. The expenditure by the patients undergoing surgical treatment spent two to three times more as compared to patients admitted in the general medicine and pediatric wards.