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Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
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1 to 3 of 3 Research Studies DisplayedBeck J, Wignall J, Jacob-Files E
Parent attitudes and preferences for discussing health care costs in the inpatient setting.
This study examined parent attitudes towards discussing their child’s health care costs in an inpatient setting with health care providers and others. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 42 parents of children who received care at a tertiary academic children’s hospital with and without chronic disease. Two domains for discussion were identified: factors that influence the parent’s desire to discuss health care costs in the inpatient setting and parent preference regarding the execution of cost discussions. Most parents highlighted concerns regarding physician involvement and felt that it was better explored with a financial counselor or social worker. They also felt that the discussions should be optional.
AHRQ-funded; HS024299.
Citation: Beck J, Wignall J, Jacob-Files E .
Parent attitudes and preferences for discussing health care costs in the inpatient setting.
Pediatrics 2019 Aug;144(2). doi: 10.1542/peds.2018-4029..
Keywords: Caregiving, Children/Adolescents, Healthcare Costs, Inpatient Care, Hospitalization, Hospitals
Chan CW, Green LV, Lekwijit S
Assessing the impact of service level when customer needs are uncertain: an empirical investigation of hospital step-down units.
In this study, the authors focused on estimating costs and benefits in a complex healthcare setting where the major differentiation among server types is the intensity of the service provided. They used data from ten hospitals and found that a step-down unit may be a cost-effective way to treat patients when used for those who are post-intensive care unit. However, they also found that the impact of step-down-unit care is more nuanced for patients admitted from the emergency department and may result in increased mortality risk and hospital length of stay for patients who should be treated in the intensive care unit. The authors recommended more study in this area.
AHRQ-funded; HS018480.
Citation: Chan CW, Green LV, Lekwijit S .
Assessing the impact of service level when customer needs are uncertain: an empirical investigation of hospital step-down units.
Management Science 2019 Feb;65(2):751-75. doi: 10.1287/mnsc.2017.2974..
Keywords: Care Management, Healthcare Costs, Healthcare Delivery, Hospitals, Inpatient Care
Nathan H, Thumma JR, Ryan AM
Early impact of Medicare accountable care organizations on inpatient surgical spending.
This study evaluated whether hospital participation in accountable care organizations (ACOs) is associated with reduced Medicare spending for inpatient surgery. Medicare Shared Savings Programs (MSSP) have shown some modest success in reducing overall medical spending, but has not been studied on its impact in reducing surgical spending. Medicare claims from 2010 to 2014 were evaluated for patients aged 65 to 99 years undergoing 6 common elective surgical procedures: abdominal aortic aneurysm, colectomy, coronary artery bypass grafting, hip or knee replacement, or lung resection. A total of 341,675 patients at 427 ACO hospitals and over 1 million matched controls at non-ACO hospitals were used to compare surgical costs. There was not an overall reducing in total Medicare patients between the two hospital types.
AHRQ-funded; HS024763.
Citation: Nathan H, Thumma JR, Ryan AM .
Early impact of Medicare accountable care organizations on inpatient surgical spending.
Ann Surg 2019 Feb;269(2):191-96. doi: 10.1097/sla.0000000000002819..
Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Hospitals, Inpatient Care, Medicare, Surgery, Quality of Care