OBJECTIVES : To analyze the current cost situation of pneumonia treatment in China with comparison among different hospital categories.

METHODS : Data were extracted from SuValue database, a big-data hospital information system (HIS) database in China, using SQL language with the variables of ‘pneumonia’ and ‘cost’. Total medical cost for pneumonia were analyzed at each hospital category. Top 10 most costly medications in pneumonia management were also identified and analyzed and compared the ranking of the medications among different hospital categories.

RESULTS : Pneumonia is an very expensive disease to manage in Chinese health care setting. The total cost for pneumonia treatment reaches ¥2,883,544,517, contributing to 3.02% of the total medical cost in this database and 0.54% and 4.82% of outpatient and inpatient cost respectively. For each level of hospitals, the cost is ¥66,495 for primary hospitals, ¥1,787,479,748 for secondary hospitals and ¥1,095,998,273 for tertiary hospitals, accounting for 0.01% of the total medical cost of primary, 2.79% of secondary and 3.57% of tertiary hospitals. Average cost per visit is the highest for inpatient in tertiary hospital (¥5,774.76). Detailed results for medications are still being analyzed. Current results show that the most costly pneumonia treatment related medications in our top 10 list are inhaled budesonide, cefoxitin, cefotaxime, andrographolide sulfonate injection, and ambroxol hydrochloride injection in outpatient setting; ceftazidime, cefoxitin, piperacillin and sulbactam, ambroxol hydrochloride, ceftizoxime, meropenem and cefuroxime in inpatient setting.

CONCLUSIONS : Pneumonia is a costly disease to the healthcare system in China. The cost for treating pneumonia can vary depending on hospital level. Medications used needs to be assessed with treatment guidelines to make pneumonia management more cost effective. Big-data analysis with large population size provides a representative picture for real-world care scenario.