Biomaterial Database

Ambulatory and hospital care of glaucoma in Spain and associated medical costs. 2022

Josep Darbà, and Alicia Marsà

Department of Economics, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.

This study aimed to analyze the impact of glaucoma in ambulatory centers and hospitals in Spain over the past decade, in terms of incidence and medical costs. Administrative data of glaucoma patients from ambulatory centers and hospitals in Spain and registered between 2011 and 2020 was obtained from a Spanish National discharge database. Medical costs obtained were based on the diagnosis-related group-based hospital payment systems, determined by the Spanish Ministry of Health. Data from 100,734 ambulatory care visits and 11,408 hospital admissions related to glaucoma were obtained from the database. Most of the cases were registered in patients over 65 years of age. The incidence of glaucoma in ambulatory centers was 2.2 per 10,000 persons over the study period; in hospitals, the incidence was 0.2 per 10,000 persons. The incidence of glaucoma in ambulatory settings increased significantly over the study period, while the incidence in hospitals decreased over the same period. Most ambulatory visits and hospital admissions were programmed or non-urgent. The mean cost per ambulatory visit was €954, €5.5 million in total annually; the mean cost per hospital admission was €3,727, €4.1 million in total annually. The annual cost of ambulatory care increased significantly over the study period, while the annual cost of hospital care decreased significantly. The medical costs of glaucoma in Spanish hospitals decreased over the study period, while the costs of ambulatory care increased. This shift in the management of glaucoma should be considered in future resource allocation decisions.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D005901	Glaucoma	An ocular disease, occurring in many forms, having as its primary characteristics an unstable or a sustained increase in the intraocular pressure which the eye cannot withstand without damage to its structure or impairment of its function. The consequences of the increased pressure may be manifested in a variety of symptoms, depending upon type and severity, such as excavation of the optic disk, hardness of the eyeball, corneal anesthesia, reduced visual acuity, seeing of colored halos around lights, disturbed dark adaptation, visual field defects, and headaches. (Dictionary of Visual Science, 4th ed)	Glaucomas
D006761	Hospitals	Institutions with an organized medical staff which provide medical care to patients.	Hospital
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000553	Ambulatory Care	Health care services provided to patients on an ambulatory basis, rather than by admission to a hospital or other health care facility. The services may be a part of a hospital, augmenting its inpatient services, or may be provided at a free-standing facility.	Outpatient Care,Outpatient Health Services,Clinic Visits,Health Services, Outpatient,Outpatient Services,Services, Outpatient Health,Urgent Care,Care, Ambulatory,Care, Outpatient,Care, Urgent,Cares, Urgent,Clinic Visit,Health Service, Outpatient,Outpatient Health Service,Outpatient Service,Service, Outpatient,Service, Outpatient Health,Services, Outpatient,Urgent Cares,Visit, Clinic,Visits, Clinic
D000554	Ambulatory Care Facilities	Those facilities which administer health services to individuals who do not require hospitalization or institutionalization.	Clinics, Free-Standing,Health Centers, Ambulatory,Outpatient Clinics,Abortion Centers,Abortion Clinics,Ambulatory Care Facilities, Non Hospital,Ambulatory Care Facilities, Non-Hospital,Ambulatory Care Facilities, Nonhospital,Clinic Activities,Family Planning Centers,Outpatient Clinic,Urgent Care Centers,Urgent Care Clinics,Abortion Center,Abortion Clinic,Activities, Clinic,Activity, Clinic,Ambulatory Care Facility,Ambulatory Health Center,Ambulatory Health Centers,Care Center, Urgent,Care Centers, Urgent,Care Clinic, Urgent,Care Clinics, Urgent,Center, Abortion,Center, Ambulatory Health,Center, Family Planning,Center, Urgent Care,Centers, Abortion,Centers, Ambulatory Health,Centers, Family Planning,Centers, Urgent Care,Clinic Activity,Clinic, Abortion,Clinic, Free-Standing,Clinic, Outpatient,Clinic, Urgent Care,Clinics, Abortion,Clinics, Free Standing,Clinics, Outpatient,Clinics, Urgent Care,Facilities, Ambulatory Care,Facility, Ambulatory Care,Family Planning Center,Free-Standing Clinic,Free-Standing Clinics,Health Center, Ambulatory,Urgent Care Center,Urgent Care Clinic
D013030	Spain	Country located between France on the northeast and Portugal on the west and bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. The capital is Madrid.	Balearic Islands,Canary Islands
D017048	Health Care Costs	The actual costs of providing services related to the delivery of health care, including the costs of procedures, therapies, and medications. It is differentiated from HEALTH EXPENDITURES, which refers to the amount of money paid for the services, and from fees, which refers to the amount charged, regardless of cost.	Medical Care Costs,Treatment Costs,Costs, Medical Care,Health Costs,Healthcare Costs,Cost, Health,Cost, Health Care,Cost, Healthcare,Cost, Medical Care,Cost, Treatment,Costs, Health,Costs, Health Care,Costs, Healthcare,Costs, Treatment,Health Care Cost,Health Cost,Healthcare Cost,Medical Care Cost,Treatment Cost
D017721	Hospital Costs	The expenses incurred by a hospital in providing care. The hospital costs attributed to a particular patient care episode include the direct costs plus an appropriate proportion of the overhead for administration, personnel, building maintenance, equipment, etc. Hospital costs are one of the factors which determine HOSPITAL CHARGES (the price the hospital sets for its services).	Cost, Hospital,Costs, Hospital,Hospital Cost