This research examines the impact of omitted variables on the accuracy of parametric hospital cost function estimations based on Québec hospital level data. We assess the effect of omitted variables resulting from incomplete data on technology and performance measurement and on tests of the cost minimizing behavior of the institution. Our results show that important characteristics of hospital ...

PURPOSE To determine whether the concept of 'cost of quality' and the techniques used for its study in the industrial sector are also applicable to hospitals. DATA SOURCES We undertook a systematic review of the literature published since 1992 (five electronic databases and a manual search) using keywords relating to quality of health care and costs. STUDY SELECTION We selected all articles...

Neveral cau8ea may explain the rapid acccleration in hospital costs with the advent of dfedicure and Medicaid. To sort out the influence of these separate faotors, thi.9 article presents certain types of evidence of ho8pitaJ coat inflation in the flr8t 2 years of Medicare: overall trend8 in ho8pitaZ revenue8 and expenses, labor and capital components of cost inflation, trend8 in individual hosp...

background there is limited evidence on the course of health service costs before and after psychiatric inpatient treatment, which might also be affected by source of cost data. thus, this study examines: i) differences in health care costs before and after psychiatric inpatient treatment, ii) whether these differences vary by source of cost-data (self-report vs. administrative), and iii) predi...

BACKGROUND The economic impact of helmet use remains controversial. Previous studies of injured motorcyclists suggest a marginal inpatient hospital cost difference between helmeted and unhelmeted riders. The purpose of this study was to expand the economic analysis of motorcycle helmet utilization to the point of injury by including motorcycle crash patients who do not require hospital admissio...

OBJECTIVES To compare the costs of admission to a hospital at home scheme with those of acute hospital admission. DESIGN Cost minimisation analysis within a pragmatic randomised controlled trial. SETTING Hospital at home scheme in Leicester and the city's three acute hospitals. PARTICIPANTS 199 consecutive patients assessed as being suitable for admission to hospital at home for acute car...