Nurse staffing, mortality, and length of stay in for-profit and not-for-profit hospitals.
The issue of differential quality in for-profit (FP) and not-for-profit (NFP) hospitals remains a critical health policy question. With research demonstrating a relationship between nurse staffing and quality, the question arises whether the relationship differs in these hospital types. Using Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project data from the period 1990-1995, we found that case mix-adjusted registered nurse (RN) staffing was significantly lower in FPs than in NFPs, and we found a superior distribution of outcomes (mortality and length of stay) obtained with a lower level of RN staffing. The differences in mortality and length of stay disappeared, however, after controlling for population and market characteristics.
Mark
Barbara A
BA
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 27599-7460, USA. bmark@email.unc.edu
Harless
David W
DW
D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006777:Hospitals, Proprietary / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006788:Hospitals, Voluntary / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D000078329:Workforce