Direct medical cost of stroke in Singapore

Background: Globally, stroke is recognized as one of the main causes of long-term disability, accounting for approximately 5·7 million deaths each year. It is a debilitating and costly chronic condition that consumes about 2-4% of total healthcare expenditure. Aims: To estimate the direct medical cost associated with stroke in Singapore in 2012 and to determine associated predictors. Methods: The National Healthcare Group Chronic Disease Management System database was used to identify patients with stroke between the years 2006 and 2012. Estimated stroke-related costs included hospitalizations, accident and emergency room visits, outpatient physician visits, laboratory tests, and medications. Results: A total of 700 patients were randomly selected for the analyses. The mean annual direct medical cost was found to be S$12473·7, of which 93·6% were accounted for by inpatient services, 4·9% by outpatient services, and 1·5% by A&E services. Independent determinants of greater total costs were stroke types, such as ischemic stroke (P=0·005), subarachnoid hemorrhage (P