Study Examines Hospital Variations In Resource Use For Several Populations

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 13 Feb 2008 - 5:00 PDT

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"Variations in Hospital Resource Use for Medicare and Privately Insured Populations in California," Health Affairs: The report by Laurence Baker, a professor of health research and policy at Stanford University, and colleagues found large variations among California hospitals the intensity with which the facilities treat seriously ill patients. Variations were found among fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries, as well as among nonelderly patients with private insurance and Medicare HMO beneficiaries. According to the report, hospitals that frequently hospitalize fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries often are the same hospitals that use high levels of resource for other types of patients as well. The study suggests that improvements in health care delivery could yield savings for a range of populations (Health Affairs release, 2/12).

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