Table 1.

Categories and Definitions of the Main Hospital Variables Used in the Model

Scale (quartiles)	Index of Average Hospital LOS§	Staffing Ratio§§	Costs per Admission§§§	Stand. Emerg. Admission Rate§§§§
1	0.824–0.959	9.9–13.7	17,161–21,380	80–93
2	0.960–0.995	13.8–14.9	21,381–22,414	94–99
3	0.996–1.059	15.0–16.9	22,415–23,754	110–106
4	1.060–1.215	17.0–21.5	23,755–35,230	107–143

^§The index reflects a relative measure of average hospital LOS adjusted for differences in patient-population by way of DRGs and the DRG-specific average lengths of stay. The value of 1 represents the national average.

^§§Defined as the annual number of discharges/(man-years of personnel x 365). Adjusted for differences in patient-population by way of DRG and cost-weights.

^§§§Costs in NOK per hospital admission, adjusted for differences in patient-population by way of DRG and cost-weights.

^§§§§An index reflecting the relative number of emergency admissions in the hospital's capture area, (the observed number × 100)/the expected number, (indirectly calculated from the national averages given the age and gender distribution of the area population).