Table 4. Illustrative regressions relating nursing cost per patient day to case mix, quality, and facility characteristics: 1980.
| Variables | 65 freestanding nursing homes | 74 freestanding and hospital-based nursing homes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|||
| Coefficient | Significance 1 | Coefficient | Significance 1 | |
| Independent variables | ||||
| Case mix, percent of patients with: | ||||
| Urinary tract infection | .032 | .562 | .123 | .009 |
| Mental retardation and/or developmental disability | −.002 | .871 | −.012 | .405 |
| Dependent in toileting | .045 | <.001 | .058 | <.001 |
| Digestive system disorder | .024 | .226 | .021 | .333 |
| Facility-level quality Z-score by problem | ||||
| Subcutaneous and/or complicated skin condition | .305 | .135 | − .104 | .621 |
| Immobility | .223 | .330 | .283 | .279 |
| Facility characteristics | ||||
| Hospital-based | — | — | 1.847 | .014 |
| Nonprofit | 1.090 | .005 | 1.178 | .009 |
| Percent Medicaid patients | −.006 | .576 | .009 | .452 |
| Percent nursing pool use | 9.635 | <.001 | 9.881 | <.001 |
| Constant | 7.297 | <.001 | 5.451 | <.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 .58 (p < .001). The mean of the variable for 74 freestanding and hospital-based nursing homes is $10.47, and R2 is .62 (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.