Emergency room admissions: changes during the financial tightening of the 1980s.
During the 1980s, as hospital payment systems constricted and the number of uninsured Americans grew, the configuration of admissions through the emergency room changed (measured through logit estimation using discharge data for California patients in 1983 and 1987). In particular, the probability that uninsured and minority patients were admitted through the emergency room increased between 1983 and 1987. In addition, between 1983 and 1987, the probability of admission through the emergency room for urgent/emergent medical conditions increased for uninsured patients and Medicaid patients, indicating that access for these groups has deteriorated during the period when payment systems have constricted.
Ahern
M
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Department of Health Services Administration, School of Public Affairs and Services, Florida International University, North Miami 33181.
McCoy
H V
HV
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003363:Cost Control; D003953:Diagnosis-Related Groups; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006761:Hospitals / Q000145:classification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008484:Medicaid / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017057:Medically Uninsured / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010067:Ownership / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D014481:United States