The Burden of Covid-19 Cases on the Payer Institution: The Case of Aydın Provincial Ambulance Service

Abstract

The study aims to assess the economic burden of Covid-19 cases on the payer institution in the context of ambulance services and to investigate the factors affecting costs. Data were obtained from Aydın Provincial Ambulance Service. Cumulative frequency, cumulative percentage and mean (standard deviation) statistics were used for descriptive findings. Logistic regression model was used to examine the factors affecting costs. Covid-19 cases posed a significant economic burden. The cost per case was approximately 466.40 TL and this amount was higher with additional diagnoses. The pandemics created a higher economic burden in 2020. Accordingly, Covid-19 cases accounted for 14.92% of the number of cases and 14.75% of the costs, with an average cost per case of 447.12 TL. In the second year (2021), the economic burden of the pandemic decreased significantly. Accordingly, the share of Covid-19 cases was 7.69%, while the cost share was 7.12%. The average cost in that year was 503.6 TL. Age, triage, reason for call, urban & rural and region variables had a significant effect on costs. There was a statistically significant relationship between advanced age and high costs per case. Covid-19 cases caused a significant economic burden on the payer. It is considered that the implementation of principles and practices related to risk and crisis management for provincial ambulance services will contribute to reducing costs. It is thought that the findings will be useful for other decision makers and policy makers, especially the payer institution.

Keywords

• Ambulance Service
• Payer Institution
• Economic Burden

The Burden of Covid-19 Cases on the Payer Institution: The Case of Aydın Provincial Ambulance Service

Öz

Çalışmanın amacı Covid-19 vakalarının ödeyici kurum üzerindeki ekonomik yükünü ambulans servisi hizmetleri bağlamında değerlendirmek, maliyetleri etkileyen faktörleri araştırmaktır. Veri Aydın İl Ambulans Servisi’nden temin edilmiştir. Tanımlayıcı bulgular için kümülatif sıklık, kümülatif yüzde ve ortalama (standart sapma) istatistikleri kullanılmıştır. Maliyetleri etkileyen faktörlerin incelenmesi amacıyla lojistik regresyon modeli kullanılmıştır. Covid-19 vakaları, önemli ölçüde ekonomik yük oluşturmuştur. Vaka başına maliyet yaklaşık 466,40 TL olup ek tanılar ile birlikte bu tutar daha yüksek olmuştur. Pandemi 2020 yılında daha fazla ekonomik yük oluşturmuştur. Buna göre, Covid-19 vakaları, vaka sayısının %14,92'sini, maliyetlerin ise %14,75'ini oluşturmuş, vaka başına ortalama maliyet 447,12 TL olmuştur. İkinci yılda (2021) pandeminin ekonomik yükü önemli ölçüde azalmıştır. Buna göre, Covid-19 vakalarının payı %7,69 iken maliyet payı ise %7,12 olmuştur. Söz konusu yılda ortalama maliyet 503,6 TL olmuştur. Yaş, triaj, çağrı nedeni, kent & kır ve bölge değişkenleri maliyetler üzerinde anlamlı etkiye sahiptir. İleri yaşta bulunma ile vaka başına yüksek maliyetler arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı ilişki bulunmaktadır. Covid-19 vakaları ödeyici kurum üzerinde önemli ölçüde ekonomik yük oluşturmuştur. İl ambulans servisleri için risk ve kriz yönetimi ile ilgili ilke ve uygulamaların hayata geçirilmesinin maliyetlerin düşürülmesine katkı sağlayacağı değerlendirilmektedir. Çalışma bulgularının başta ödeyici kurum olmak üzere diğer karar verici ve politikacılar için yararlı olacağı düşünülmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Covid-19
• Ambulans Servisi
• Ödeyici Kurum
• Ekonomik Yük

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