Table 3. Illustrative regressions relating nursing cost per patient day to case mix and quality: 1980.
| Variables | 65 freestanding nursing homes | 74 freestanding and hospital- based nursing homes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|||
| Coefficient | Significance1 | Coefficient | Significance1 | |
| Independent variables | ||||
| Case mix, percent of patients with: | ||||
| Urinary tract infection | .118 | .050 | .233 | <.001 |
| Mental retardation and/or developmental disability | −.009 | .501 | −.016 | .314 |
| Dependent in toileting | .051 | <.001 | .052 | <.001 |
| Digestive system disorder | .058 | .008 | .044 | .062 |
| Facility-level quality Z-score by problem | ||||
| Subcutaneous and/or complicated skin condition | .435 | .050 | .291 | .172 |
| Immobility | .294 | .265 | .158 | .583 |
| Constant | 6.747 | <.001 | 6.806 | <.001 |
1
The level of significance is based on a two-tailed t-test.
NOTES: The dependent variable is nursing cost per patient day. The mean of the variable for 65 freestanding nursing homes is $10.14, and R2 is .41 (p < .001). The mean of the variable for 74 freestanding and hospital-based nursing homes is $10.47, and R2 is .45 (p < .001).
SOURCES: University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Center for Health Services Research: Primary Study Data, 1980.
Colorado Department of Social Services, Denver, Colorado: Medicaid Cost Reports, 1980.