COSTS IN HEALTH-CARE FROM THE VIEW OF CAR DIOLOGICAL PATIENTS

Patients and Method: In a pilot study 70 patients treated in the Depar tment of Cardiology were asked to assess the costs of coronary angiogr aphy, PTCA, heart transplantation, pacemakers and prosthetic heart val ves. Salaries of physicians and nurses should be estimated, and causes of increase of costs in health carl be defined. Results: 91.7% patien ts criticized health care as too expensive but reasonable with regard to output and efficacy. As most important reasons for increase of cost s were given: ''expensive drugs'' (70.6%,), ''great number of drugs'' (56.9%) and ''increased number of old patients'' (56.9%). Costs of cor onary angiography were overestimated (twice) and those of PTCA were un derestimated (half). Two thirds of the patients guessed the prices of pacemakers and prosthetic heart valves much to low. Salaries of physic ians had been estimated near the upper reference value, those of nurse s near the lower reference value. Conclusion: Most of our patients wer e insufficiently informed about costs in health care. Clarification an d more transparency are needed.