[EQ] The Cost of Hospital Stays: Why Costs Vary

The Cost of Hospital Stays: Why Costs Vary

 

Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) 2008

 

Available online PDF file [73p.] at: http://secure.cihi.ca/cihiweb/products/2008HospCosts_report_final_Eng_web.pdf

 

“… This looks at the average costs of a wide range of treatments and procedures performed during acute care hospital stays for typical patients, and some of the reasons these costs can vary from patient to patient.

 

The report begins by providing the big picture on how much Canada spends on hospitals and in relation to total health expenditures. It then shows how new tools such as CMG+ can be used to estimate costs of hospital stays. Finally, the report provides insights on how certain factors can affect hospitalization costs for typical cases, such as the presence of other illnesses (beyond the most responsible reason for admission into hospital), the age of a patient, how many interventions are used during a patient's hospital stay, how and where a patient is treated and the type of interventions used….”

 

What Is and Case Mix Groups CMG+?

The CMG+ methodology is used to create distinct patient groupings that are clinically similar and/or homogenous with respect to hospital resources used. By linking patient groups to resources used in their treatment, CMG+ provides a tool for analyzing resource utilization and costs.

The case mix grouping methodology was revised to make use of the most recent Canadian classification systems for diseases and related health problems and interventions.

The CMG+ methodology assigns patient records to major clinical categories (MCCs) and Case Mix Groups (CMGs). Both MCCs and CMGs are based on either a diagnosis or condition described as being most responsible for the patient’s stay in hospital—in clinical terms, the “most responsible diagnosis” (MRDx)—or based on an intervention that significantly affects the pattern of care and resources consumed by a patient.

 

Content:

Executive Summary

1. Overview of Hospital Spending in Canada

Who Pays for Hospital Care?

Where Does the Money Go?

Breaking Down Hospital Spending

2. Measuring Average Acute In-Hospital Costs

What Is CMG+?

What’s New About CMG+: The Five Factors

Using CMG+ and Other Tools to Calculate Average Costs

3. Looking Into Hospital Costs: Selected Examples

Factors Affecting Hospital Costs

Cost of Treating Atypical and Long-Stay Patients

Information Gaps

What We Know

What We Don’t Know

What’s Happening

References

Appendix

 

 

 *      *      *     *

This message from the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO/WHO, is part of an effort to disseminate
information Related to: Equity; Health inequality; Socioeconomic inequality in health; Socioeconomic
health differentials; Gender; Violence; Poverty; Health Economics; Health Legislation; Ethnicity; Ethics;
Information Technology - Virtual libraries; Research & Science issues.  [DD/ KMS Area]

“Materials provided in this electronic list are provided "as is". Unless expressly stated otherwise, the findings
and interpretations included in the Materials are those of the authors and not necessarily of The Pan American
Health Organization PAHO/WHO or its country members”.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PAHO/WHO Website: http://www.paho.org/

EQUITY List - Archives - Join/remove: http://listserv.paho.org/Archives/equidad.html

 

 

 

    IMPORTANT: This transmission is for use by the intended recipient and it may contain privileged, proprietary or confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient or a person responsible for delivering this transmission to the intended recipient, you may not disclose, copy or distribute this transmission or take any action in reliance on it. If you received this transmission in error, please notify us immediately by email to infosec@paho.org, and please dispose of and delete this transmission. Thank you.