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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2014 Jan 16.
Published in final edited form as: J Med Econ. 2012 Sep 13;16(1):43–54. doi: 10.3111/13696998.2012.726932

Table 4.

Predictors of length of stay: Commercial database.

Variables Commercial database (n =4109)
Reference category or value Reference* LOS =3.955 days Multiplication factor 95% CI
Additional days p-value
Lower Upper
Demographic variables
 Managed care Fee-for-service 0.931 0.888 0.976 −0.274 0.0028
 Other/unknown health plan “ ” 0.813 0.743 0.889 −0.740 <0.0001
 Capitated health plan Non-capitated 0.914 0.877 0.953 −0.339 <0.0001
Clinical variables: 12-month pre-period
 CABG surgery None in pre-period 0.874 0.807 0.947 −0.497 0.001
 Arrhythmias “ ” 1.101 1.064 1.140 0.401 <0.0001
 Circulatory disease “ ” 1.157 1.107 1.210 0.621 <0.0001
 Atherosclerosis “ ” 0.940 0.907 0.974 −0.238 0.0008
 Stroke “ ” 1.185 1.075 1.307 0.732 0.0006
 Cardiorespiratory failure and shock “ ” 1.223 1.169 1.279 0.882 <0.0001
 Pneumonia “ ” 1.17 1.13 1.22 0.680 <0.0001
 Renal failure “ ” 1.273 1.217 1.331 1.079 <0.0001
 Liver disease “ ” 1.191 1.105 1.285 0.757 <0.0001
 GI disease or ulcer “ ” 1.179 1.125 1.235 0.707 <0.0001
 Cancer “ ” 1.148 1.085 1.215 0.585 <0.0001
 Diabetes “ ” 1.083 1.046 1.122 0.329 <0.0001
 Malnutrition “ ” 1.421 1.225 1.648 1.664 <0.0001
 Pressure/decubitus ulcer “ ” 1.344 1.232 1.466 1.360 <0.0001
Clinical variables: Index admission
 Treated in ICU Not in ICU 1.109 1.071 1.149 0.431 <0.0001
 Treated in CCU Not in CCU 1.083 1.040 1.126 0.326 <0.0001
 ICD or pacemaker “ ” 0.833 0.781 0.889 −0.660 <0.0001
 CABG procedure “ ” 1.682 1.450 1.951 2.695 <0.0001
 Cardiac catheterization “ ” 1.438 1.357 1.525 1.734 <0.0001
 Mechanical ventilation procedure “ ” 1.201 1.055 1.367 0.794 0.0056
 Dialysis “ ” 1.240 1.119 1.373 0.947 <0.0001

The following variables did not have a significant difference in LOS from the reference group for patients with commercial health insurance: age group, index year, gender, rheumatic heart disease, other heart disease, COPD, fibrosis of the lung, other urinary tract disorder, psychiatric disorder, and electrolyte disorder. Each of these variables was associated with a significant difference in LOS from the corresponding reference group for one of the other payers.

*

Reference: 2005, male, 35–49 years old, fee-for-service and non-capitated health plan, no study comorbidities, ≤10 3-digit ICD-9-CM codes in pre-period, no study inpatient procedures, no ICU or CCU stay, discharged alive.