Abstract
The objective of this research project was to examine payments made under the
Common Illness (CI) program at community pharmacy stores. This is a descriptive study design.
The data were explored from the National Health Security Office (NHSO) and the AMED care
platform. Drug cost data came from three sources: NHSO's fee schedule's service list and
payment rates, Drug and Medical Supply Information Center (DMSIC), the Ministry of Public
Health (MOPH), and quick survey from 18 community pharmacies. Drug cost was used to
determine the drug cost per visit. Duration of data analysis were three time periods: two
months in 2022, twelve months in 2023, and six months in 2024.
The results show that the general data of service users in the CI program has
consistently increased each year. The majority of service users is female. The most common
symptoms include fever/cough/sore throat, muscle pain, and skin rashes. The service regarding
age group, aged 45-64 years is the most frequent user, both in terms of the number of people
and the number of visits. Patients with one symptom category are the most common service
users each year but there is the lowest average service usage per person per year. In contrast,
patients with four or more symptom categories have the highest average service usage per
person per year.
The cost of medications is focused only on this study. It was found that the symptom
categories with the highest average drug cost per visit in 2023-2024 are
constipation/hemorrhoids (49.69-60.25 THB), stomachache (51.22-59.10 THB), and diarrhea
(48.47-49.18 THB). On the other hand, the symptom categories with the lowest average drug
cost per visit in 2023-2024 are dizziness (25.74 THB), headache (32.37 THB), and skin rashes
(33.46 THB in 2023), whereas the lowest cost for menstrual pain is 18.84 THB (in 2024).
The symptom categories with the highest average drug cost per person in 2023-2024
are constipation/hemorrhoids (63.08-82.40 THB), stomachache (67.15-72.91 THB), and wounds
(64.68-70.37 THB). On the contrary, the symptom categories with the lowest average drug cost
per person in 2023-2024 are menstrual pain (21.11-22.53 THB), dizziness (32.18-32.51 THB),
and headache (37.18-41.82 THB).
The data shows that symptom categories related to the digestive system, such as
constipation/hemorrhoids, stomachaches, or diarrhea, tend to have higher medication usage
(number of prescriptions) and higher drug costs compared to other categories. On the other
hand, general symptoms such as menstrual pain, dizziness, or headaches tend to have lower
drug costs compared to other symptom categories.
In summary, the common illness care service at community pharmacy helps increase
public access to healthcare services. However, the compensation for services based on a flat
rate of 180 THB per visit may not reflect the true costs of each symptom category or the
individual service usage. Therefore, in the future, the compensation rate might be adjusted
based on the number of symptom categories each patient has throughout the year or modified
according to variables that reflect costs, such as age, gender, and comorbid conditions. All of
this would require the design and continuous data collection which are essential for future
use.
