Patients with medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS) may present frequently to hospital settings and receive potentially unnecessary investigations and treatments.

A sample of 49 patients was drawn and their handwritten and electronic clinical records were examined in detail to extricate all MUPS-related secondary care activity within six months of the MUPS presentation (emergency department, inpatient stays, outpatient appointments, and all associated investigations, procedures and medications).

We aimed to assess the frequency and type of MUPS presentations to clinical services and estimate the associated direct healthcare costs.

This study was undertaken at Waitemata District Health Board (WDHB), the largest DHB in New Zealand. All patients with a diagnosed presentation of MUPS in 2013 were identified using the WDHB clinical coding system. Their clinical records were screened to select all patients who matched the study inclusion and exclusion criteria. Standardised national costing methodology was used to calculate the associated healthcare costs.

Forty-five percent of patients presented to hospital settings at least twice over the one-year timeframe. The most common diagnoses were non-epileptic seizures (31%) and hyperventilation syndrome (30%). The total cost for the sample was NZ$179, 271 (mean NZ$3659). Costs were most significant in the areas of inpatient admissions and emergency care.

MUPS can result in frequent presentations to hospital settings. The costs incurred are substantial and comparable to the costs of chronic medical conditions with identifiable pathology. Improving the recognition and management of MUPS has the potential to offer more appropriate and cost-effective healthcare nationally and internationally.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.