OBJECTIVES: In India hospitalizations due to Acute Exacerbation (AE) of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is frequent and pose a major burden on society and health care system, thus cost assessment of same is imperative. This study aimed to assess the direct cost of hospitalization due to AE of COPD at a tertiary care hospital of North India.

METHODS: In the study total hospitalization cost (THC) comprises of direct medical cost (DMC) and direct non medical cost (DNMC) was assessed in 100 patients who admitted due to AE of COPD (calculated for 7 day hospital stay) and gave consent for study. The obtained data were analyzed and compared with one similar type of published study conducted at a government hospital by one sample t test using SPSS software, 2015. P value less than .05 was considered significant.

RESULTS: In the study mean age of patients was 59.7 year and 70% of them were male which is in concordance to other published studies and confirms more prevalence of COPD in male. Total direct cost due to hospitalization (THC) at this hospital was found to be USD 82 which was at par with the reported cost at government hospital (p>.05, non significant) as according to published article. DMC was major contributor (73.52%) in total cost while 26.48% expenditure was due to DNMC. The participant patients in study were not covered by any type of health insurance. This cost occurred as out of pocket expenditure for them.

CONCLUSIONS: In this study all patients spend the amount as out of pocket expenditure from their savings. The study gives an estimate of cost of hospitalization in India due to AE of COPD that can be used for further pharmacoeconomic modeling to calculate health care burden on society and health care system.