Healthcare Utilization with Drug Acquisition and Expenses at the National Health Insurance Fund in Sudan
Background: Understanding the pattern of care use can provide valuable information for reform interventions. This study investigates the pattern of healthcare utilization and its association with drug acquisition patterns and expenses in the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) of Al Jazira State i...
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MDPI AG
2022-03-01
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| Series: | Healthcare |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/10/4/630 |
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| author | Yasir Ahmed Mohammed Elhadi Abdelmuniem Ahmed Ramy Mohamed Ghazy Elhadi B. Salih Osman S. Abdelhamed Ramy Shaaban Hammad Mohamed Hammad Mohamed Alanood Elnaeem Mohamed Noha Ahmed El Dabbah Ashraf Ahmed Zaher Zaghloul |
| author_facet | Yasir Ahmed Mohammed Elhadi Abdelmuniem Ahmed Ramy Mohamed Ghazy Elhadi B. Salih Osman S. Abdelhamed Ramy Shaaban Hammad Mohamed Hammad Mohamed Alanood Elnaeem Mohamed Noha Ahmed El Dabbah Ashraf Ahmed Zaher Zaghloul |
| author_sort | Yasir Ahmed Mohammed Elhadi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Understanding the pattern of care use can provide valuable information for reform interventions. This study investigates the pattern of healthcare utilization and its association with drug acquisition patterns and expenses in the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) of Al Jazira State in Sudan. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted at NHIF primary healthcare centers of Al Jazirah state in Sudan. Results: A total of 768 beneficiaries were interviewed, of which 63.2% reported using out-of-network physician care, while 36.8% receive care from the NHIF physician network only. More than half (60.8%) of NHIF-interviewed clients reported a heavy burden of medication costs. The pattern of physician utilization was significantly associated with the number and source of regular drugs, the burden of out-of-pocket payment, and monthly out-of-pocket expenditures on medications, (<i>p</i> < 0.001). The regression analysis revealed that gender, marital status, number of chronic diseases, and number of regular drugs were the significant predictors of the pattern of physician care utilization; these factors explained nearly 36% of the variance in respondents’ pattern of physician care utilization. Conclusions: An impressive proportion of out-of-network care was found in Al Jazirah State in Sudan. The NHIF stakeholders should consider medication subsidy as a potential strategy for decreasing patient leakage to out-of-network services. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:35:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a9bd6f3b417a42258b2e9b08bbdabebb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9032 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:35:22Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Healthcare |
| spelling | doaj.art-a9bd6f3b417a42258b2e9b08bbdabebb2023-12-01T20:58:37ZengMDPI AGHealthcare2227-90322022-03-0110463010.3390/healthcare10040630Healthcare Utilization with Drug Acquisition and Expenses at the National Health Insurance Fund in SudanYasir Ahmed Mohammed Elhadi0Abdelmuniem Ahmed1Ramy Mohamed Ghazy2Elhadi B. Salih3Osman S. Abdelhamed4Ramy Shaaban5Hammad Mohamed Hammad Mohamed6Alanood Elnaeem Mohamed7Noha Ahmed El Dabbah8Ashraf Ahmed Zaher Zaghloul9Department of Health Administration and Behavioral Sciences, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21561, EgyptPhysiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Gezira, Wad Madani 2667, SudanTropical Health Department, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21561, EgyptFederal Ministry of Health, Khartoum 11111, SudanTeaching Assistant, Faculty of Medicine, Ahfad University for Women, P.O. Box 167, Omdurman 14415, SudanDepartment of Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84321, USAAl-Mana General Hospital, Al-Jubail 35718, Saudi ArabiaFaculty of Pharmacy, University of Science and Technology, Khartoum 11111, SudanDepartment of Health Administration and Behavioral Sciences, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21561, EgyptDepartment of Health Administration and Behavioral Sciences, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21561, EgyptBackground: Understanding the pattern of care use can provide valuable information for reform interventions. This study investigates the pattern of healthcare utilization and its association with drug acquisition patterns and expenses in the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) of Al Jazira State in Sudan. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted at NHIF primary healthcare centers of Al Jazirah state in Sudan. Results: A total of 768 beneficiaries were interviewed, of which 63.2% reported using out-of-network physician care, while 36.8% receive care from the NHIF physician network only. More than half (60.8%) of NHIF-interviewed clients reported a heavy burden of medication costs. The pattern of physician utilization was significantly associated with the number and source of regular drugs, the burden of out-of-pocket payment, and monthly out-of-pocket expenditures on medications, (<i>p</i> < 0.001). The regression analysis revealed that gender, marital status, number of chronic diseases, and number of regular drugs were the significant predictors of the pattern of physician care utilization; these factors explained nearly 36% of the variance in respondents’ pattern of physician care utilization. Conclusions: An impressive proportion of out-of-network care was found in Al Jazirah State in Sudan. The NHIF stakeholders should consider medication subsidy as a potential strategy for decreasing patient leakage to out-of-network services.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/10/4/630out-of-network utilizationhealth insurancedrug acquisitionmedication costsNational Health Insurance FundSudan |
| spellingShingle | Yasir Ahmed Mohammed Elhadi Abdelmuniem Ahmed Ramy Mohamed Ghazy Elhadi B. Salih Osman S. Abdelhamed Ramy Shaaban Hammad Mohamed Hammad Mohamed Alanood Elnaeem Mohamed Noha Ahmed El Dabbah Ashraf Ahmed Zaher Zaghloul Healthcare Utilization with Drug Acquisition and Expenses at the National Health Insurance Fund in Sudan Healthcare out-of-network utilization health insurance drug acquisition medication costs National Health Insurance Fund Sudan |
| title | Healthcare Utilization with Drug Acquisition and Expenses at the National Health Insurance Fund in Sudan |
| title_full | Healthcare Utilization with Drug Acquisition and Expenses at the National Health Insurance Fund in Sudan |
| title_fullStr | Healthcare Utilization with Drug Acquisition and Expenses at the National Health Insurance Fund in Sudan |
| title_full_unstemmed | Healthcare Utilization with Drug Acquisition and Expenses at the National Health Insurance Fund in Sudan |
| title_short | Healthcare Utilization with Drug Acquisition and Expenses at the National Health Insurance Fund in Sudan |
| title_sort | healthcare utilization with drug acquisition and expenses at the national health insurance fund in sudan |
| topic | out-of-network utilization health insurance drug acquisition medication costs National Health Insurance Fund Sudan |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/10/4/630 |
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