Open AccessThe Effect of Type of Hospital and Health Insurance on Hospital Length of Stay in Irbid, North Jordan
Author(s) -
Salah Mawajdeh,
Yaseen A Hayajneh,
Raeda Al-Qutob
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
health policy and planning
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.608
H-Index - 92
eISSN - 1460-2237
pISSN - 0268-1080
DOI - 10.1093/heapol/12.2.166
Subject(s) - medicine , public hospital , health insurance , socioeconomic status , medical record , medical insurance , public health , public health insurance , emergency medicine , health care , environmental health , population , nursing , surgery , actuarial science , business , economics , economic growth
The study aimed at examining the effects of type of hospital and health insurance status on hospital length of stay for three identified medical and surgical conditions. Medical records of 520 patients for the year 1991 were reviewed in one public and one private hospital. Comparison of hospital length of stay for the private (n = 185) versus public sector patients (n = 335) was carried out. The effect of presence of health insurance (n = 189) and the lack of it (n = 325) was also studied. It was found that the average length of stay in the public hospital was significantly longer than the private one (3.3 versus 2.7 days). In addition, insured patients had significantly longer hospital length of stay (3.3 versus 3.0 days). The results of the multi-variate analysis showed that after socioeconomic factors and clinical conditions of patients were adjusted for, the influence of hospital type and health insurance on hospital length of stay was about one day. The paper also discusses the need to base hospital cost-containment strategies on studies of hospital behaviour and performance.
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