TABLE 4:
Patient characteristics in high- and low-volume hospitals
| Low Volume (1–3/yr) | High Volume (>24/yr) | |
|---|---|---|
| Age (yr) (median) | 58 | 54 |
| Female | 82/108 (76%) | 75/96 (78%) |
| Race | ||
| White | 70/86 (81%) | 68/96 (71%) |
| Black | 9/86 (10%) | 9/96 (10%) |
| Primary payer | ||
| Medicare | 34/108 (31%) | 26/96 (27%) |
| Medicaid | 8/108 (8%) | 9/96 (9%) |
| Private insurance | 57/108 (53%) | 57/96 (59%) |
| Median income in ZIP code of residence | ||
| <$25,000 | 13/105 (12%) | 12/89 (13%) |
| $25,000–$34,999 | 33/105 (31%) | 27/89 (28%) |
| $35,000–$44,999 | 23/105 (22%) | 28/89 (31%) |
| >$45,000 | 36/105 (34%) | 22/89 (25%) |
| Rural versus urban (hospital location used as proxy) | ||
| Rural | 3/108 (3%) | 0/96 (0%) |
| Admission type | ||
| Emergency | 6/101 (6%) | 0/96 (0%) |
| Urgent | 17/101 (17%) | 4/96 (4%) |
| Routine | 78/101 (77%) | 92/96 (92%) |
| Admission source | ||
| Emergency ward | 3/104 (3%) | 0/96 (0%) |
| Transfer from acute care hospital | 4/104 (4%) | 4/96 (4%) |
| Transfer from long-term care | 8/108 (7%) | 1/96 (1%) |
| Routine | 89/108 (82%) | 91/96 (95%) |