Screening costs of three complications for type 2 diabetes mellitus

ObjectiveTo calculate the cost of screening for three complications of type 2 diabetes, including diabetic nephropathy, peripheral neuropathy, and lower extremity arterial disease, and to analyze its composition of the cost.

MethodsThis study is one of parts of "Shanghai Metabolic Disease (Diabetes) Prevention and Diagnosis Service System Construction Project 2015-2017".The costs in diabetes complication screening in all districts and communities in Shanghai were investigated.Micro-cost method was used to calculate the costs of diabetes complications screening.

ResultsBy August 2017, total 203 040 patients with diabetes had been screened.It costed around 38.9 million RMB on these screening together.The average cost of screening for the three chronic complications was approximately 191.60 RMB, including cost of 170.90 RMB for diabetic nephropathy screening.The cost per capita of the three chronic complications is approximately 16.54 RMB, and the per capita screening cost of diabetic nephropathy is approximately 14.75 RMB.Laboratory examining expenditure accounted for main cost for screening, followed by manpower expenditure.

ConclusionDiabetic complication screening is not costly and has potential promotion value.Laboratory inspection cost is the main determinant composition for the cost.