Factors’ Affecting the Hospital's Cost Structure: The Case of a Greek University Hospital

Abstract

This paper analyzes the data that compose the cost structure of Greek Hospitals. Moreover, an attempt is made to explore the main operating factors that affect the total cost of hospitals. This study, tries to contribute to literature in order to group into categories the expenses of hospitals, while also it provides information to users on the cost structure of hospitals. In order to do so, a big University Hospital of Greece was taken into account, for the period 2005-2009 in a quarterly basis for both financial and operative factors. Eleven cost categories that component the cost structure of the Hospital and four operative factors were taken into account for this analysis. The results have shown the cost factors who significantly affected the cost structure of this particular University Hospital.