The unit costs of inpatient hospital days, outpatient visits, and daycare treatments in the fields of oncology and hematology.
OBJECTIVE
Many economic evaluations are conducted in the fields of oncology and hematology, partially owing to the introduction of new expensive drugs in this field. Even though inpatient days, outpatient visits, and daycare treatments are frequently the main drivers of total treatment costs, their unit costs often lack generalizability. Therefore, we aimed to determine the unit costs of inpatient hospital days, outpatient visits, and daycare treatments specifically for oncological and hematological diseases in The Netherlands from the hospital's perspective.


METHODS
Unit costs were collected from 30 oncological and hematological departments of 6 university and 24 general hospitals. Costs included direct labor and indirect labor, hotel and nutrition, overheads and capital. Ordinary least squares regression models were constructed to examine the degree of association between unit costs and hospital and hospital department characteristics. All costs were based on Euro 2007 cost data.


RESULTS
At university hospitals, the unit costs per inpatient day were determined at €633 in oncological and €680 in hematological departments. At general hospitals, the mean costs per inpatient day were €400. Unit costs for inpatient hospital days, outpatient visits. and daycare treatments equalled the relative ratio 100:21:44. Direct labor costs were the major cost driver and the type of hospital (university, yes/no) was a strong predictor of unit costs.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study provided unit costs for inpatient hospital days, outpatient visits, and daycare treatments in the fields of oncology and hematology. The results may be used as Dutch reference unit prices in economic evaluations assessing oncological and hematological diseases.
Tan
Siok Swan
SS
Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam, Institute for Medical Technology Assessment, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. tan@bmg.eur.nl
Van Gils
Chantal W M
CW
Franken
Margreet G
MG
Hakkaart-van Roijen
Leona
L
Uyl-de Groot
Carin A
CA
D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000191:economics*; D006405:Hematology / Q000191:economics*; D017721:Hospital Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000191:economics*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000191:economics*; D009426:Netherlands; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012044:Regression Analysis