Indigent health care: the increasing contribution of AIDS to the health care budget deficit.
With the number of AIDS cases in the United States exceeding 100,000 and rising, it is becoming more of a financial burden to take care of this population. The Regional Medical Center at Memphis, like most hospitals providing indigent care, sustains annually a large deficit for both outpatient and inpatient care of AIDS patients. With the establishment of a dedicated AIDS clinic, it is hoped to maximize outpatient care and the utilization of available financial resources. Implementation of this model may help obviate the financial disaster that is impending for the already overburdened public hospitals and their patients.
Palte
S B
SB
University of Tennessee Center for the Health Sciences, Memphis 38103.
Lancaster
D J
DJ
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006745:Hospital Bed Capacity, 300 to 499; D006779:Hospitals, Public / Q000191:economics*; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D008489:Medical Indigency / Q000191:economics*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013714:Tennessee / Q000453:epidemiology