Impact of Patient Load on Primary Care Visit Costs
Author Information
Author(s): Adam Taghreed, Ebener Steeve, Johns Benjamin, Evans David B
Primary Institution: World Health Organization
Hypothesis
How does patient load affect the cost per visit at primary health care facilities?
Conclusion
The cost of an outpatient visit decreases significantly as the number of patients seen by providers increases.
Supporting Evidence
- Each 1% increase in patient through-put results in a 27% reduction in the cost per visit.
- Costs can differ by up to $30 for outpatient visits depending on patient load.
- Current estimates of costs for scaling up health interventions may be incorrect if they do not consider capacity utilization.
Takeaway
If more patients are seen in a day, it costs less for each visit. It's like sharing a pizza with more friends; everyone pays less!
Methodology
Multivariate regression analysis was used to explore the determinants of variability in unit costs using data for 44 countries.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to reliance on a limited number of health facilities for cost data.
Limitations
The analysis may not account for all factors affecting costs, such as quality of care and salary differentials.
Participant Demographics
Data from 44 countries with a total of 984 observations.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.0001
Statistical Significance
p<0.0001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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