3.2.3. Calculating the cost per patient
In a third step,we calculate the specific cost per patient.
Based on Tables 2 and 3, we are able to calculate the cost
of the activities for a non-technical and a technical consultation
(Tables 4 and 5). These technical and non-technical
cost tables contain standard and optional activities which
are allocated to the patients depending on the treatment
and services they receive. Consultation costs are split into
the cost per activity and the time per activity. Based on the
information we gathered, the different time equations were
filled in.
The costs of standard non-technical consultations can
be found in Table 4. As can be seen, the cost for a standard
non-technical consultation fluctuates between 5.19D
(Plastic Surgery) and 13.78D (Urology).3 While the standard
activities are similar between the departments, this is not
the case for the time rates per activity, nor the nature of the
costs. By making use of linear combinations, we are able to make a distinction between different types of patients. For
example, we see that a patient that makes maximal use of
the Plastic Surgery activities costs 8.09D , which reflects an
increase in the standard cost for making an appointment
at the window, receiving laboratory results, an additional
consultation at another department and asking additional
information by phone or at the window. For Gastroenterology,
the maximum cost amounts to 67.58D .