Influencing factors of hospitalization cost of hypertension patients in traditional Chinese medicine hospitals

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Economics
• Public Health
• Traditional Chinese Medicine

Background:

• Hypertension poses a significant public health challenge, leading to substantial healthcare expenditures.
• Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) hospitals play a role in managing hypertension, but factors influencing their hospitalization costs require analysis.
• Understanding these cost drivers is crucial for optimizing resource allocation and patient financial burden.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and analyze the key factors influencing hospitalization costs for hypertensive patients within TCM hospital settings.
• To provide a scientific basis for TCM hospitals to implement effective cost-control strategies for hypertension treatment.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective study analyzed data from 3,595 hypertensive patients hospitalized between January 2017 and June 2022.
• Univariate analysis identified relevant cost variables, followed by multiple linear regression and path analysis to comprehensively explore influencing factors.

Main Results:

• Length of stay emerged as the most critical factor influencing hospitalization costs.
• Other significant factors included patient age, admission pathways, medical insurance payment methods, and visit frequency.

Conclusions:

• TCM offers unique advantages in managing chronic diseases like hypertension.
• Optimizing TCM treatment plans to reduce length of stay and enhance patient health literacy can alleviate patient suffering and economic burden.