DIRECT TREATMENT COSTS FOR NARCOTIC POISONING IN ADMITTED PATIENTS IN TOXICOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF KHORSHID HOSPITAL IN 2018/ISFAHAN/IRAN

Background and Aim : Detection and analysis of costs in the field of health is of judgmental value for the management of health system economy wise. Narcotic drug abuse and the poisoning due has had huge financial burden on country s health system . This study aims to calculate the direct costs of treatment for addicted patients poisoned with narcotics in toxicology ward of Khorshid Hospital during year 2018. Methods : In a cross-sectional study and from medical records belonged to toxicology ward and ICU patients intoxicated with narcotics; Age, sex, hospital stay and costs were extracted and assessed. Results : 1432 patients admitted in 2018 due to poisoning with Narcotics entered this study. Gender distribution showed 1129 men and 303 women. Age of patient ranged from 1 to 91 years old. The frequency of intoxication by Methadone was (43.7%), Heroin (8.3%), opium(11.2%), opioid(7.6%), The mean age of patients were 35.5 years old. The mode of age groups was (20-50)years old(70%). 15 patients passed away with Methadone as the most common cause. Total costs of all patients was 12,629,632,742 rials equal to 300.705.00 USD. Conclusion : The treatment costs of narcotic abuse in toxicology department showed a critical issue and a huge impact on budgets of health system. This also addressed the burden of costs related to venues required for treating those numerous patients, Although the latter is hard to calculate. The results of this study will obligate the assessment of methods to reduce the number of narcotic abusing patients and hence the decrease of their admittance to avoid related death risks and heavy costs.

Keywords:

poisoning , drug abuse , narcotics , treatment costs , toxicology