Financial priorities in medicine

How much can a patient cost?

By Susanna Valland Tim Eskestrand

Norway

• Will spend 130 billion NOK on healthcare in 2010 ( 390 billion CZK )

• One of the countries spending the most money on health pr. person in the world

• Norwegians still don’t benefit from the newest and most expensive medicines

Examples

• Pompe disease, 4 mill NOK, 12 mill CZK

• Drug addict, 1 mill NOK, 3 mill CZK

• Nursing home, 0.5 mill NOK, 1.5 mill CZK

• MS medications, 108 000 NOK, 300 000 CZK

Are we all worth the same?

Drug addicts

Cons• It’s a “choice”• No contribution to the

community• High risk of relapse• Expensive

Pros• Numbers can be

affected• Recovered addicts• Stormberg AS

Specific diseases( MS patient )

Pros• It’s not a choice• Drugs can give the

patient a normal life• Tax will cover expenses

Cons• Expensive

We live longer

• 1 hospital bed costs 8500 NOK/night• Increased life expectancy, 83, 79♀ ♂• Increased average age, 39• Dying at home is cheaper

Who would you pick?

Sources• http://www.dagensmedisin.no/nyheter/2010/02/25/hvor-my

e-kan-en-pasient-ko/index.xml• http://www.adressa.no/meninger/article1474173.ece• Http://e24.no/naeringsliv/article2553088.ece• http://www.ssb.no/befolkning