• Marcin Czech, Grzegorz Opolski, Tomasz Zdrojewski, Jacek S Dubiel, Barbara Wizner, Dorota Bolisęga, Małgorzata Fedyk-Łukasik, and Tomasz Grodzicki.
• 1Department of Pharmacoeconomics, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland. marcin.czech@wum.edu.pl
• Kardiol Pol. 2013 Jan 1;71(3):224-32.

BackgroundHeart failure (HF) is a chronic disease of great clinical and economic significance for both the healthcare system and patients themselves.AimTo determine the consumption of medical resources for treatment and care of HF patients and to estimate the related costs.MethodsThe study involved 400 primary care practices and 396 specialist outpatient clinics, as well as 259 hospitals at all reference levels. The sample was representative and supplemented with patient interview data. Based on the consumption of particular resources and the unit costs of services in 2011, costs of care for HF patients in Poland were estimated. Separate analyses were conducted depending on the stage of the disease (according to NYHA classification I-IV). The public payer's perspective and a one year time horizon were adopted.ResultsDirect annual costs of an HF patient's treatment in Poland may range between PLN 3,373.23 and 7,739.49 (2011), the main cost item being hospitalisation. The total costs for the healthcare system could be as high as PLN 1,703 million, which is 3.16% of the National Health Fund's budget (Ex. rate from 05.03.2012: 1 EUR = 4.14 PLN).ConclusionsThe costs of treating heart failure in Poland are high; proper allocation of resources to diagnostic procedures and treatment may contribute to rationalisation of the relevant expenditure.

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