METHODS: The Beijing Medical Insurance Database has maintained reimbursement activities of about 13.5 million urban residents in Beijing. Using patient medical records from the database, 10% of the MI patients were randomly selected as study subjects. Variables such as hospitalization expenditure, patients’ demographic characteristics, length of stay at first hospital admission, whether having rehospitalization due to MI (yes/no), co-morbidities, and hospital type at first hospital admission (tertiary vs. non-tertiary hospitals) were collected. An ordinary least squares regression analysis was conducted, in which the dependent variable was the logarithm of annualized hospitalization expenditure and independent variables were the other variables. RESULTS: A total of 1,235 MI patients (mean age 65.78 ± 15.36 years) were randomly selected from the database. The incidence of MI-associated hospitalization was dominant among males (n=935, 75.31%). The regression model was significant (P<0.05, R square = 13%). The significant positive predictors of hospitalization expenditures were male patients, age (≥45 years old), length of stay at first hospital admission, rehospitalization due to MI, co-morbidity (heart failure and diabetes), and being admitted by tertiary hospitals at first hospital admission.

CONCLUSIONS: Male MI patients 45 years old or greater, with heart failure and diabetes, are likely to incur higher hospitalization expenditure. To lower hospitalization expenditure of MI patients in Beijing, effective measures could include reducing the length of hospital stay and controlling spending at tertiary hospitals.