Cost of acute and sub-acute care for stroke patients.

BACKGROUND Stroke is an important health problem that imposes socioeconomic burdens. OBJECTIVE To explore provider costs and to examine predictive factors for cost of acute and sub-acute inpatient services for stroke patients. MATERIAL AND METHOD The present study design was prevalence-based cost-of-illness with micro-costing approach. Subjects were 407 first episode stroke patients. Patient costs were prospectively recorded from July 2008 to March 2009. RESULTS The average cost per admission was 32,372 Baht. The cost of acute phase was higher than that of sub-acute phase. Moreover; costs were significantly different among disability levels. Predictors of cost in acute phase included surgery, hemorrhagic pathology, and length of stay (adjusted R2 = 0.755; p < 0.001). Additional predictors of costs in sub-acute phase included initial Barthel index, gender, rehabilitation treatment, and the hospital (adjusted R = 0.748; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION Cost of stroke was influenced by patient characteristics, pathology, treatments, and phases of care that should be considered in reimbursement system policy.