REAL-WORLD BOTTOM-UP COST-OF-ILLNESS ANALYSIS OF TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS IN A SAUDI TERTIARY HOSPITAL
Author(s)
Abdullah M. Alshahrani, MSc, FHEOR, FHA1, Saad Saeed Alqahtani, BS, MSc2, Abdulmohsen Yahaya Asseri, PharmD, Internal Medicine Consultant3, Ali Alshahrani, PharmD, PhD4, Mohammed Asseri, Bsc, MSc candidate5, Khalid Alshahrani, Bcs, Pharmaceutical Science3, Afaf Alshihri, Bcs, Pharmaceutical Science5, Amjad Alqhatani, Bcs, Pharmaceutical Science5, Najla Hamad, Bcs, Pharmaceutical Science5, SALEH ALYAHYA,, BSc, MSc, PhD6, Saif AlHawwashi, BSc, MSc7, Bander Balkhi, PharmD, PhD8, Saad Alqhatani, .7.
1Head of Pharmacoeconomics and MM Unit, Armed Forces Hospital Southern Region, Saudi Arabia, Khamis Mushait, Saudi Arabia, 2King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia, 3AFHSR, Khamis Mushait, Saudi Arabia, 4Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia, 5AFHSR, Abha, Saudi Arabia, 6Forensic Medicine Center,Health Affairs, Aseer Region, Ministry of Health, Abha, Saudi Arabia, 7Security Forces Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 8King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
1Head of Pharmacoeconomics and MM Unit, Armed Forces Hospital Southern Region, Saudi Arabia, Khamis Mushait, Saudi Arabia, 2King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia, 3AFHSR, Khamis Mushait, Saudi Arabia, 4Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia, 5AFHSR, Abha, Saudi Arabia, 6Forensic Medicine Center,Health Affairs, Aseer Region, Ministry of Health, Abha, Saudi Arabia, 7Security Forces Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 8King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
OBJECTIVES: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major contributor to morbidity, mortality, and healthcare expenditures worldwide. In Saudi Arabia, the increasing prevalence of T2DM poses a substantial burden on healthcare systems. This study estimated the direct medical costs associated with T2DM management using a real-world bottom-up micro-costing approach from the hospital payer perspective and evaluated clinical factors associated with higher healthcare expenditures.
METHODS: A retrospective observational micro-costing study was conducted at the Armed Forces Hospital Southern Region (AFHSR), Saudi Arabia. Patient-level data were extracted from the hospital electronic health record system between January 1 and December 31, 2024. Adult patients with confirmed T2DM and at least one healthcare encounter during the study period were included. Direct medical costs included medications, laboratory investigations, outpatient visits, hospitalizations, emergency visits, intensive care admissions, foot care, and ophthalmology services. Descriptive analyses were performed to evaluate healthcare utilization and annual costs.
RESULTS: A total of 431 patients with T2DM were included. The mean age was 63.7 years (SD±15.0), and 62% were female. Mean HbA1c was 7.9% (SD±1.5), with 66.8% of patients demonstrating suboptimal glycemic control (HbA1c ≥7%). The total annual direct medical cost was SAR 6,635,779.57 (approximately USD 1.77 million), with a mean annual cost of SAR 15,396.24 per patient. Medications represented the largest cost component (52.9%), followed by laboratory investigations (40.6%). Patients with HbA1c ≥7%, disease duration >5 years, and multiple comorbidities demonstrated higher annual healthcare costs.
CONCLUSIONS: This real-world cost-of-illness analysis demonstrated that T2DM imposes a substantial economic burden on tertiary healthcare systems in Saudi Arabia. Healthcare expenditures were primarily driven by pharmacotherapy and laboratory monitoring. Poor glycemic control, prolonged disease duration, and multimorbidity were associated with increased healthcare costs. These findings support the need for optimized diabetes management and evidence-based resource allocation strategies.
METHODS: A retrospective observational micro-costing study was conducted at the Armed Forces Hospital Southern Region (AFHSR), Saudi Arabia. Patient-level data were extracted from the hospital electronic health record system between January 1 and December 31, 2024. Adult patients with confirmed T2DM and at least one healthcare encounter during the study period were included. Direct medical costs included medications, laboratory investigations, outpatient visits, hospitalizations, emergency visits, intensive care admissions, foot care, and ophthalmology services. Descriptive analyses were performed to evaluate healthcare utilization and annual costs.
RESULTS: A total of 431 patients with T2DM were included. The mean age was 63.7 years (SD±15.0), and 62% were female. Mean HbA1c was 7.9% (SD±1.5), with 66.8% of patients demonstrating suboptimal glycemic control (HbA1c ≥7%). The total annual direct medical cost was SAR 6,635,779.57 (approximately USD 1.77 million), with a mean annual cost of SAR 15,396.24 per patient. Medications represented the largest cost component (52.9%), followed by laboratory investigations (40.6%). Patients with HbA1c ≥7%, disease duration >5 years, and multiple comorbidities demonstrated higher annual healthcare costs.
CONCLUSIONS: This real-world cost-of-illness analysis demonstrated that T2DM imposes a substantial economic burden on tertiary healthcare systems in Saudi Arabia. Healthcare expenditures were primarily driven by pharmacotherapy and laboratory monitoring. Poor glycemic control, prolonged disease duration, and multimorbidity were associated with increased healthcare costs. These findings support the need for optimized diabetes management and evidence-based resource allocation strategies.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2026-11, ISPOR Europe 2026, Vienna, Austria
Value in Health, Volume 29, Issue 12S
Code
EE167
Topic
Economic Evaluation, Health Technology Assessment, Real World Data & Information Systems
Topic Subcategory
Cost/Cost of Illness/Resource Use Studies
Disease
Diabetes/Endocrine/Metabolic Disorders (including obesity), No Additional Disease & Conditions/Specialized Treatment Areas