Healthcare costs covered by health insurance included all costs needed to provide each healthcare service, such as salaries for physicians and staffs, medical devices, medications, overhead costs, training costs, and so on.
For the purpose of this review, costs were considered to be based on resource consumption relating to the delivery of health care such as medications, overheads, administration and equipment used by the hospital [ 13, 14].
This value includes hospital daily costs, namely physicians' and nursing staff, lab tests and exams, medication, housing and overhead [ 19].
Note that we excluded medical department overhead from overhead costs.
Since paThents with AEs dunito an hospital-acostsed includeon had a large incostse of excess LOS, special attention standarde paid to thospital
In addition, costs for overhead, patient transport, medication, material costs for surgical procedures in the operating theatre or on the nursing ward were not taken into account, while costs for ICU- and recovery stays were entered as fixed costs.
On the other hand, it was not feasible to take into account the costs for overhead, patient transport, and medication on the nursing wards, and to correct for the additional charges for physicians during weekends, evenings and nights.
The cost included both a "hotel" cost (staff costs, rent costs and overhead costs for food, medications, cleaning, washing and transportation) as well as a patient related cost for medical examinations and treatments.
The contributions to total direct medical costs were assessed for medication acquisition costs (stratified into controller medication and rescue medication), procedures (including laboratory tests, spirometry, and radiology), and hospital overheads (including personnel, administration costs, board, and lodging).
"With an overhead of just $150,000, we sent over $3.5 million worth of AIDS medication last year," Mr. Aguais said.
