Cost Analysis of Private Hemodialysis Centers in Turkey

Chronic kidney disease is a worldwide public health problem. There is a continuing increase in the prevalence of patients on renal replacement therapies which causes an enormous economic burden to the healthcare system. Center hemodialysis is the most common type of renal replacement therapy in patients with end-stage renal disease. The aim of this study was to assess the cost of hemodialysis in private hemodialysis centers in Turkey. The study included a total of 296 centers with patient numbers between 51 and 150. The total number of patients treated in these centers was 26,659. The mean cost per hemodialysis session was calculated as 163.5 TL whereas the prices reimbursed by the Social Security Institution was 145 TL per session. This gap has the potential to cause serious problems considering the continuing rise in the number of hemodialysis patients. The healthcare authorities should search for solutions to decrease the expenses and an optimal price for reimbursement should be determined.