title: Economic evaluation of assistance to HIV patients in a Spanish hospital.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little is known about the global effects of HAART on the use of medical resources after the complete implementation of this therapy in Spain. This study was designed to determine the use of medical resources and the costs of health care for HIV-infected patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients with HIV infection who came to our institution during the year 2002 were included in the study. We analyzed the global assistance data and pharmaceutical costs during the year. Costs were calculated based on a unitary cost for DRG and an officially assigned standard cost for outpatient clinic, visits to the day care unit and to the emergency room (ER), outpatient surgery, and total costs of pharmacy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total cost for HIV-related health care assistance was euro739,048. The cost related to admissions was euro150,766.60; euro8631 per first visit and euro49,199.40 per successive visit; euro5085.10 per day care unit; euro14,920 per outpatient surgery; euro7655.70 per ER visit; and euro491,342.40 per antiretroviral treatment. A significant proportion of the total outpatient assistance was given by physicians other than HIV specialists, namely, 63% of the costs attributed to the first visit and 41% per successive visit.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  More than 50% of the costs of caring for HIV-infected patients are still attributed to antiretroviral therapy. Specialists other than infectious disease specialists provide a significant proportion of outpatient assistance. A method to control HIV costs is greatly needed.
authors: Sección Infecciosas, Unidad de Medicina Interna, Fundación Hospital Alcorcón, Spain.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Velasco
authors: J E
authors: JE
authors: Losa
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Espinosa
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Sanz
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Gaspar
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Cervero
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Torres
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Condes
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Barros
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Castilla