Abstract:
This study is a descriptive research with the objective of analyzing the cost of each activity from the perspective of service providers in caring for the diabetic patient at the diabetes clinic of the Out-patient Department; Bangyai Hospital, Nonthaburi Province. The main process of service was composed of nine major activities which were patient registration, primary screening of the patient, laboratory testing, patient screening by the nurse, counseling, physical exercise, appointment making, physical diagnosis by physician, prescription handing, payment of the service, certification of the rights of the patient, and dispensing of medicine. The cost-analysis was made by using activity-based costing per unit from a secondary source of electronic data. The data had been collected during the fiscal year of 2555 B.E., from 1st October 2554 to 30th September 2555 B.E. The data was analyzed by using descriptive statistics which were number, percentage, arithmetic mean and standard deviation. The study found that the unit cost for caring for one diabetic patient per service was 206.47 baht. Analysis by nine major activities found that the activity which had the highest unit cost was physical diagnosis by physician (71.37 baht, average time utilized 3.13 minutes), followed by laboratory test (44.10 baht, average time utilized 4.71 minutes),and handling of prescription (37.59 baht, average time utilized 3.31 minutes). The lowest unit cost was patient registration (0.76 baht, average time utilized 0.40 minutes). The research recommendation was: in cost management and monitoring of resource management, the exact analysis of job and work responsibility of the personnel would enhance proper delegation of function and responsibility of personnel in the organization, as the saying Putting the right man to the right job thus enables the organization to manage the labor cost within the hospital and service from specialized out-source more efficiently. The front line service and supportive service which are in accord with the needs of the organization would enhance efficient cost management and cost control of the hospital.