Healthcare Costs for Acute Hospitalized and Chronic Heart Failure in South Korea: A Multi-Center Retrospective Cohort Study

• Published in: Yonsei medical journal 2017, 58(5), , pp.944-953
• Main Authors: Ku, Hyemin, Chung, Wook Jin, Lee, Hae Young, Yoo, Byung Soo, Choi, Jin Oh, Han, Seoung Woo, Jang, Jieun, Lee, Eui Kyung, Kang, Seok Min
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Chronic Disease; Demography; Female; Health Care Costs; Health Expenditures; Health Resources - economics; Health Resources - utilization; Heart Failure - economics; Hospitalization - economics; Humans; Male; Original; Republic of Korea; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; 의학일반
• ISSN: 0513-5796; 1976-2437
• DOI: 10.3349/ymj.2017.58.5.944

Although heart failure (HF) is recognized as a leading contributor to healthcare costs and a significant economic burden worldwide, studies of HF-related costs in South Korea are limited. This study aimed to estimate HF-related costs per Korean patient per year and per visit. This retrospective cohort study analyzed data obtained from six hospitals in South Korea. Patients with HF who experienced ≥one hospitalization or ≥two outpatient visits between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2013 were included. Patients were followed up for 1 year [in Korean won (KRW)]. Among a total of 500 patients (mean age, 66.1 years; male sex, 54.4%), the mean 1-year HF-related cost per patient was KRW 2,607,173, which included both, outpatient care (KRW 952,863) and inpatient care (KRW 1,654,309). During the post-index period, 22.2% of patients had at least one hospitalization, and their 1-year costs per patient (KRW 8,530,290) were higher than those of patients who had only visited a hospital over a 12-month period (77.8%; KRW 917,029). Among 111 hospitalized patients, the 1-year costs were 1.7-fold greater in patients (n=52) who were admitted to the hospital via the emergency department (ED) than in those (n=59) who were not (KRW 11,040,453 vs. KRW 6,317,942; p