Articles Vol. 67 No. 10 04/11/2026

ANALYSIS OF DIRECT MEDICAL COSTS AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS IN THE TREATMENT OF PEDIATRIC PNEUMONIA AT THE DEPARTMENT OF PEDIATRICS, HANOI MEDICAL UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL.

Ho Ngoc Diep, Nguyen Thi Phuong Thuy, Luu Tuyet Minh, Ho Minh An
DOI: 10.52163/yhc.v67i10.6976
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Abstract

Objective: To describe the direct medical costs of treating pediatric pneumonia and to analyze factors associated with direct medical costs among children with pneumonia at Hanoi Medical University Hospital in 2024. Subjects and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 244 medical records of pediatric patients hospitalized for pneumonia at Hanoi Medical University Hospital in 2024. Results: The median direct medical cost per hospitalization episode for pediatric pneumonia at the Department of Pediatrics, Hanoi Medical University Hospital, was VND 8,345,768 (IQR: VND 7,659,000–11,309,233). Among the cost components, hospital bed charges accounted for the largest proportion (58.13%), followed by medication costs (13.47%). Within the medication category, antibiotic costs represented the highest proportion (9.56%) of the total treatment cost. Univariate analysis identified length of hospital stay, pneumonia severity, and antibiotic treatment regimen as significant factors associated with direct medical costs. Conclusions: The median direct medical cost per inpatient episode of pediatric pneumonia was VND 8,345,768, ranging from VND 1,870,127 to VND 24,329,876. Hospital bed charges constituted the largest share of total treatment costs. Length of hospital stay was the strongest factor associated with increased treatment costs.

Keywords
Pediatric pneumonia; direct medical costs; length of hospital stay.
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