Analysis of Staff Medical Bills Submitted Through a Medical School Clinic in Ghana

Abstract

Introduction: The Medical School Clinic (MSC) provides free healthcare for staff of University of Ghana Medical School (UGMS) and other schools of the College of Health Sciences. This study determined annual cost of medical bills and which category of staff are the
beneficiaries of these claims through the MSC. 
Methods: This was a retrospective review of records, from January 2007 to December 2010 of staff medical bills and bills of dependants claimed through the MSC which is part of the UGMS in Korle-Bu.
Results: From 2007 to 2010, medical bills of staff and their dependants claimed through the MSC doubled from GH₵ 52497(US$ 47724.16) to GH₵ 118666(US$ 84761.36). Junior staff made the most claims (45.9%) while senior members and retired staff had higher annual medical bill per person. Claims by staff of UGMS administration alone constituted 28% of all claims from the UGMS. MSC had 51.7% of all claims by staff made directly at the MSC and 40% were from the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital which provided specialist
care including physician specialist, obstetrics &gynaecological, paediatric, eye, Ear Nose and Throat, diabetes, genitourinary and orthopaedic care for staff.
Conclusion: Medical bills of staff and dependants claimed through the MSC have escalated over the four year period. It will be efficient to provide certain basic chronic care services for the older adult staff (who from this analysis have higher annual medical bill per
person) at the current operating hours of the MSC and enrol the majority of staff unto a prepayment health scheme