Estimating Cost Analysis for Health Care Services Delivered to Brucellosis Patients in Qom Province

Brucellosis (Malta fever) is one of zoonosis diseases that it is still a public health problem in most countries of the world including Iran. This disease can cause economic problems for patients. This study was performed to evaluate the cost for health care services delivered to Brucellosis patients in Qom Province. This cross - sectional study based on data from patients with brucellosis in Qom, during 2013 was performed. At first, by using the forms that made by researchers, the direct and overhead costs related with the health services in the studied areas were calculated. This costs obtained by visiting the archives and accounting documents. The price paid for out of pocket cost per patient and treatment services to patients and the overall total costs were calculated using Excel software. During 2013 a total of more than 440 million riyals have spent on providing health services to 120 patients with Brucellosis in Qom. Direct health care costs about 274 million Rials, overhead, about 170 million riyals, the state cost per patient over 3 million and 700 thousand Rials, the patient's out of pocket costs to the patient and finally the average total cost of about 760 thousand riyals during one year of service to each of these patients was estimated at 4,460,000 rials. Based on results, considerable costs for diagnosis and treatment of Brucellosis spent in Qom. So health planners should give priority to prevent this disease in their programs.