Hospital patients paid more towards the cost of their care in 2015 despite a fall in the number of admissions, according to an analysis of accounts.

The main reason for the extra expense was an increase in the use of more expensive treatments, according to IntraKoop, a co-operative organisation for purchasing medicines which compiled the research.

‘Our figures show that almost 38% of the cost to the patient in hospital was spent on medicine,’ said IntraKoop director Frank Kapitein.

The total cost to patients in 2015 was €4.9 billion, 5.8% more than in 2014, which itself saw an increase of 4.8%. The number of patient admissions fell by 1.5% to 1.6 million, while the volume of clinical treatments decreased by 4.8%.

IntraKoop and accountancy firm Verstegen analysed the financial results of 79 Dutch hospitals, representing 95% of the sector.