Cost Analysis of Pediatric Intensive Care: A Low-Middle Income Country Perspective

Abstract Background: Globally, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) admissions are amongst the most expensive. This makes it important to gain insights into the cost of pediatric intensive care units. We undertook this study to calculate the health system cost and out of pocket expenditure incurred per patient during Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) stayMethods: Prospective study conducted in a state of art tertiary level PICU of a teaching and referral hospital. Bottom-up micro costing methods were used to assess the health system cost. Annual data regarding hospital resources used for PICU care was collected from January 2018 to December 2018. Data regarding out of pocket expenditure (OOP) was collected from 299 patients who were admitted from July 2017 to December 2018. The study period was divided into four intervals, each of 4 and a half months duration and data was collected for 1 month in each interval. Per patient and per bed day costs for treatment were estimated both from health system and patient’s perspective. Results: The median (inter-quartile range, IQR) length of PICU stay was 5(3–8) days. Mean ± SD PRISM score of the study cohort was 22.23 ± 7.3. Of the total patients, 55.9% (167) were ventilated. Mean cost per patient treated was US$ 2,078(₹ 144,566). Of this, health system cost and OOP expenditure per patient were US$ 1,731 (₹ 120,425) and 352 (₹ 24,535) respectively. OOP expenditure of a ventilated child was twice that of a non‐ ventilated child. Conclusions: The fixed cost of PICU care were 3.5 times more than variable costs. Major portion of cost is borne by hospital. Severe illness, longer ICU stay and ventilation were associated with increased costs. This study can be used to set the reimbursement package rates under Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). Tertiary care state of art intensive care in a public sector teaching hospital in India is far less expensive than developed countries.