Presentation (CTI)

OBJECTIVES: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive condition with increasing prevalence, posing a substantial financial burden on patients. In Vietnam and Dong Nai province in particular, studies on the treatment costs of CKD remain limited. This study aimed to analyze the direct medical costs of CKD treatment at Thong Nhat General Hospital - Dong Nai Province in 2024, by cost components and sources of payment, and to identify factors associated with these costs.
METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among all patients who met the inclusion criteria at Thong Nhat General Hospital - Dong Nai Province in 2024.
RESULTS: The study included 2,041 CKD patients, with a total of 13,558 outpatient visits and 604 inpatient episodes. The male-to-female ratio was 1.03:1, and the mean age was 60.71 ± 15.19 years. Most patients were in the end-stage of CKD (50.80%). The average cost per outpatient visit was 5,150,206 VND (95% CI: 5,066,416 - 5,233,996 VND), while the average cost per inpatient episode was 6,573,619 VND (95% CI: 5,844,364 - 7,302,874 VND). Cost component analysis showed that procedural and surgical services accounted for the highest proportion (54.90% of outpatient costs and 40.09% of inpatient costs). Health insurance was the main source of payment, covering 95.00% of outpatient and 89.75% of inpatient treatment costs. Factors significantly associated with direct medical costs included age, number of comorbidities, number of treatment episodes, number of dialysis sessions, use of erythropoietin, blood transfusion, and medical histories such as hypertension, diabetes, heart failure, sepsis, severe anemia, and urinary tract infection.
CONCLUSIONS: The average cost per outpatient and inpatient episode accounted for approximately 4.43% and 5.66%, respectively, of Vietnam’s per capita GDP in 2024. This study provides practical evidence to support health policy planning and effective cost management in CKD treatment.