Structure and costs of health care of diabetic patients in Finland

OBJECTIVE - The aim of the present study was to examine both the structure, including modes of drug treatment, ambulatory care, and hospital inpatient care, and the costs of health care for drug-treated diabetic patients in Finland. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS - The modes of drug treatment and ambulatory care were studied with the help of a questionnaire given to ail diabetic patients obtaining their medication through pharmacies in Finland during a 7-week period in 1989. The questionnaire sought information on drug treatment, site of health care, and frequency of visits to physicians. Hospital inpatient care was evaluated by linking the patient data from the Hospital Discharge Register and the Central Drug Register. The direct costs of health care were calculated by using relevant average costs. RESULTS - A total of 30,266 questionnaires were returned, representing > 70% of all drug-treated diabetic patients receiving medication in the period studied. Of the diabetic patients, 63% were treated by oral medication only, 31% by insulin only, and 6% by a combination of insulin and oral agents. Of the patients in whom diabetes was diagnosed at greater than or equal to 30 years of age, 75% were treated at health centers, whereas > 60% of those in whom diabetes was diagnosed at < 30 years of age were treated at outpatient clinics. The mean annual frequency of visits was 4.0 for patients receiving insulin treatment and 3.3 for patients receiving treatment with oral medications. The diabetic patients used 1.5 million hospital inpatient days per) ear, which was 13% of the total inpatient days in Finland. Of the inpatient days, 20% were for diabetes as the principal cause, 52% for diabetes-related diseases, and 28% for causes unrelated to diabetes. The direct costs of the health care of drug-treated diabetic patients in 1989 were 5.8% of the total costs of health care in Finland and were three times higher than the average costs of care for nondiabetic individuals. The direct costs were divided into inpatient care (81%), medication (9%), ambulatory care (8%), and self-care equipment (2%). CONCLUSIONS - Hospital inpatient care is the major contributor to the excess of health care expenditures for diabetic patients.