title: The effect of health care delivery systems on admission to and treatment at an inpatient dermatology unit.
abstract: The University of Miami Department of Dermatology has maintained an active inpatient unit. Analysis of data from a 12 month period from 1995-1996 showed 562 admissions. Cutaneous lymphoma, psoriasis, and chronic wounds accounted for over half the admissions. Most patients were insured by a fee-for-service system, and compared to patients insured by managed care systems or patients who were indigent, fee-for-service patients had the shortest length of stay. Using a case mix severity index, indigent patients had the greatest disease severity followed by fee-for-service patients. Patients enrolled in managed care systems had the least severity suggesting that factors other than disease severity alone may play a role in determining why patients are admitted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami School of Medicine, Florida, USA. Dermatol@hutton.net
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Kirsner
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hannon
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Agarwal
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Kerdel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida / Q000453:epidemiology; D006757:Hospital Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy