Table 1.
Concepts, Variables, Definitions, and Data Sources.
| Variables | Definition | Data source |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate strategy | ||
| General strategy | Organization-wide changes, as initiated by top management | Press releases, Provider Magazine, interviews |
| Payer mix | The percentage of revenue from Medicare, Medicaid (called Medi-Cal in California), and other payers (ie, the sum of revenues from self-pay patients, managed care patients and other payers). | California’s OSHPD for the period 2000-2012 |
| Staffing hours ppd | Average number of staffing hours ppd, of direct care professionals: RNs, LVNs, and NAs. | OSHPD data 2000-2012 and OSCAR data for 2003-2012 |
| Skill mix | RN productive hours/(LVN productive hours + NA productive hours). The composition of nursing staff by licensure/educational status. | OSHPD data 2000-2012 |
| Financial performance | ||
| Operating margin percentage | Net from Health Operations / Total Health Care Revenue. Focuses on core business functions and excludes the influence of nonoperating incomes and expenses. | OSHPD data 2000-2012 |
| Total margin percentage | (Total revenue – total expenses) / total revenue. Includes all operating and nonoperating revenues and expenses. | Idem |
| Net income per patient day (ppd) | Net income of the company / total number of patient days. | |
| Long-term debt / asset ratio | Long-term debt / total assets. Percentage of assets that are financed with loans and financial obligations lasting more than one year. General measure of the financial position of a company. | |
| Resident well-being | ||
| Total deficiencies | Deficiencies are issued to facilities that fail to meet the federal standards for Medicare and Medicaid participation. Deficiencies are classified into several categories on the basis of their scope and severity. | OSCAR data 2003-2012 |
| Serious deficiencies | So-called level G or higher deficiencies, including those deficiencies that that cause harm or jeopardy to residents. | |
| Litigation actions | Major lawsuits by the state or federal government or private parties reported in the media. | Press releases and reports of litigation actions |
Note. OSHPD = Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development; ppd = per patient day; RNs = registered nurses; LVN = Licensed Vocational Nurse; NAs = Nurse Assistants; OSCAR = Online Survey, Certification and Reporting.