Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Background/Objectives: COVID-19 has impacted Romania’s healthcare, economy, society, and public health. This study aims to evaluate the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Romania by analyzing both hospital costs and key elements of economic costs. The assessment was conducted from the perspective of the national payer. Hospital costs were analyzed covering two distinct timeframes: Q4 2020–Q3 2021 and Q1 2022–Q4 2022. The estimation of economic costs covered Q4 2020–Q3 2021. Methods: Hospital care costs were estimated using financial data from eight hospitals. The costs were extrapolated to inpatient data from 60 public hospitals for each of the two study periods. The disease burden was determined based on official data, including the number of confirmed cases, hospital bed occupancy, reported fatalities, and various cost components from an economic perspective. Results: The findings indicate that the average hospital cost per patient episode was EUR 2267 (95% CI: 2137–2396) during the first period and EUR 2003 (95% CI: 1799–2207) in the second. The total national hospitalization expenses amounted to EUR 1.35 billion and EUR 730 million, respectively. When accounting for productivity losses and testing costs, the overall expenditure reached EUR 5.39 billion for Q4 2020–Q3 2021. Conclusions: In conclusion, the total economic burden of the COVID-19 pandemic in Romania by the end of 2021 was estimated at EUR 5.39 billion, encompassing hospitalization, isolation, premature deaths, quarantine, testing, and parental allowances. Despite the emergence of costlier treatment options, overall treatment costs declined, possibly due to increased vaccination rates. The study highlights the significant financial strain on the healthcare system and underscores the importance of evidence-based resource allocation to better manage future public health crises.
Source: Healthcare
Authors: Alíz Bradács, László Lorenzovici, László-István Bába, Zoltán Kaló, Szabolcs Farkas-Ráduly, Andreea Mihaela Precup, Klementina Somodi, Maria Gheorghe, Alexandru Calcan, Gyöngyi Tar, Ovidiu Adam, Violeta Tincuta Briciu, Simin Aysel Florescu, Edith Simona Ianoși, Ovidiu Gârbovan, Dimitrie Cristian Siriopol, Zoltán Vokó
Institutions: University of Oradea, Universitatea de Medicină, Farmacie, Științe și Tehnologie „George Emil Palade” din Târgu Mureș, Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania, Semmelweis University, Syreon Research Institute (Hungary), Victor Babeș University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timișoara, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ştefan cel Mare University of Suceava
Language: English
Topic: COVID-19 Pandemic Impacts
Subfield: Economics and Econometrics
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,258
Funder: Pfizer
OpenAlex ID: W4409734141