PROFILING AND CATASTROPHIC HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURES OF DISCHARGED PATIENTS WITH UNSETTLED ACCOUNTS IN FEU-NRMF MEDICAL CENTER, JANUARY- DECEMBER 2015

ABSTRACT: Unsettled medical fees pose significant problems as to the function of the staff and equipment procurement. This would later on result to failure of medical institutions to provide the standard quality healthcare services. A household health expenditure is said to be catastrophic if the members of the household health expenditure exceeds 40% of income remaining after subsistence needs have been met. The aim of this study is to describe the general profile of patients with unsettled medical bills and identify their catastrophic household expenditure status of FEU-NRMF patients who have been discharged with remaining balances. Results showed that there is a likely chance for a patient to have unsettled hospital bills if with the following classifications: aged 40 to 50 years old with more than 10 dependents and stayed within the hospital for greater than 18 days, lives in Metro Manila but outside Quezon City, no work, married, children as source of financial support, diagnosed with neoplastic disease, underwent surgical procedure, referred to Department of Internal Medicine and with a Non-ICU admission. Although, inconclusive data could be noted under these categories namely, patients' occupation, financial source and disease due to the volume of incomplete hospital records.

Department of Community & Family Medicine