Schizophreniform disorder (SD) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients. While SD has been extensively studied in the past, the contemporary data for impact of SD on cost of hospitalization are largely lacking.

We queried the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's Nationwide Inpatient Sample (HCUP-NIS) dataset between 1998–2011 using the ICD-9 codes. Severity of comorbid conditions was defined by Deyo modification of Charlson comorbidity index. Primary outcome was in-hospital mortality and secondary outcome was total charges for hospitalization. Using SAS 9.2, Chi2 test, t-test and Cochran-Armitage test were used to test significance.

A total of 8645 patients were analyzed; 36.21% were female and 63.79% were male (P < 0.0001); 49.04% were white, 39.06% black and 19.9% of other race (P < 0.0001). Rate of hospitalization decreased from 599.22/million to 394.47/million from 1998–2011. Overall mortality was 0.23% and mean cost of hospitalization was 17930.23. The in-hospital mortality reduced from 0.21% to 0.15% (P < 0.0001) and mean cost of hospitalization increased from 9662.88$ to 27,749.68$ from 1998–2011. Total spending on SD related admissions have increased from $47.59 million/year to $853.83 million/year.

While mortality has slightly decreased from 1998 to 2011, the cost has significantly increased from $47.59 million/year to $853.83 million/year, which leads to an estimated $806.24 million/year additional burden to US health care system from 1998 to 2011. In the era of cost conscious care, preventing SD related hospitalization could save billions of dollars every year. Focused efforts are needed to establish preventive measures for SD related hospitalization.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.