Observational studyBMC health services research2026
Costs of hospital stays in Switzerland during the COVID-19 pandemic: a comparative analysis between cancer and non-cancer patients.
Observational study in BMC health services research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
backgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted usual hospital care, leading to widespread cancellations of elective procedures and sharp declines in admissions. Cancer patients, whose treatment depends on timely and coordinated interventions, were particularly vulnerable to pandemic-related disruptions. This study analyzes Swiss hospital cost trends across pre-lockdown, lockdown, and post-lockdown phases to examine differential resource allocation patterns between cancer and non-cancer patients.
methodA retrospective observational study was conducted using administrative data from 3.9 million inpatient stays among adults. Monthly trends in total hospital stay costs and key cost components, including emergency services, intensive care, operating room, physician, nursing, and imaging services, were analyzed. A difference-in-differences model was employed to assess cost differentials between patient groups across the pandemic periods, adjusting for patient and hospital characteristics.
resultsDuring the lockdown, the average cost per hospital stay increased by CHF 2,049 (+ 15.7%) and remained CHF 1,654 (+ 12.7%) higher than pre-lockdown levels in the post-lockdown period. Cost increases were especially notable in intensive care unit (CHF + 283) and nursing services (CHF + 759) during the lockdown, with sustained but smaller increases post-lockdown. Once adjusted for patient and hospital characteristics, cancer patients incurred higher hospital costs than non-cancer patients, with the cost differential increasing from 10.0% pre-lockdown to 14.8% during the lockdown and slightly decreasing to 13.8% post-lockdown. This disparity was primarily driven by higher costs of physician services, nursing services, and operating room services. However, ICU costs increased significantly less for cancer patients than for non-cancer patients during lockdown, suggesting differential resource utilization between patient groups.
conclusionThe COVID-19 pandemic significantly increased average hospital costs in Switzerland, with distinct patterns by patient type and cost category. Despite overall cost pressures, continued attention was maintained for cancer patients, showing resilience in service delivery. Findings underscore the need for cost-informed policy responses to maintain care quality and financial sustainability during health system crises.
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