Consumption of national health insurance medical resources by hepatocellular carcinoma patients treated using radiofrequency ablation therapy.
OBJECTIVE
This study analyzed the health-care resources consumed in cancer treatment to provide important reference guidance to national governments with regard to their health-care policy prioritization and efficient health-care resource allocation.


METHODS
Researchers used a retrospective observational approach to study medical resources consumed by hospitalized hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients who underwent radiofrequency ablation (RFA) treatment in Taiwan between 2002 and 2006.


RESULTS
A systemic analysis of the results showed a mean patient age of 65.3 and average medical costs per patient of US$1403. Higher incidence of HCC was evident in rural areas in Taiwan, however smaller hospitals treated fewer patients diagnosed with HCC due to many patients seeking treatment at larger hospitals, usually in urban areas. Consumption of medical resources at regional hospitals was significantly higher than at medical centers in terms of costs of X-rays and special materials as well as for the overall cost of treatment (P < 0.001). The average medical costs for hospitalized cancer patients who underwent RFA treatment were lower than for those that received other treatments such as surgical resection, TACE, radiotherapy or chemotherapy. This study further found an upward trend in the number of HCC patients receiving RFA treatments.


CONCLUSIONS
Taiwan operates a national insurance global budget payment system. Health-care system budgetary pressures are exacerbated by increases in the costs of cancer treatment. While the cost of RFA for HCC may represent value for money, with cost savings in other treatment areas, it nonetheless places strain on Taiwan NHI global budget payment system.
Department of Information Technology and Communication, Shih Chien University Kaohsiung Campus, Tainan, Taiwan.
Chih-Ming
CM
Kung
Lein-Ray
LR
Mo
Yu-Hua
YH
Yan
D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000191:economics* / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000191:economics* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000191:economics*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013624:Taiwan