Factors affecting the availability and use of hemodialysis facilities.
This article describes factors related to the geographic distribution of hemodialysis facilities and the relationship between availability and use. Such facilities tend to be concentrated in the same types of areas as other medical resources, and the number of medical specialists in an area is related to the rate of treatment for renal diseases. The proportion of treatment stations in an area owned by for-profit organizations is not related to the total treatment rate, but the market share of for-profit facilities is positively related to in-center treatment and negatively related to home treatment.
Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115.
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Cleary
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Schlesinger
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Blumenthal
D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000600:supply & distribution; D003625:Data Collection; D006269:Health Facilities, Proprietary / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000600:supply & distribution; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006302:Health Services Research; D006436:Hemodialysis Units, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006437:Hemodialysis, Home / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000191:economics / Q000628:therapy; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D010067:Ownership; D011365:Professional Practice Location; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States