Sam Lu|Dennis Z. Kuo
Hospital Charges of Potentially Preventable Pediatric Hospitalizations
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences|University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
objectives reducing number preventable hospitalizations represents possible source health care savings however current literature lacks description extent potentially preventable pediatric hospitalizations study objectives 1 identify charges 2 demographic characteristics associated potentially preventable pediatric hospitalizations methods secondary analysis 2006 kids inpatient database weighted n 7558812 international classification diseases ninth revision clinical modification codes 16 previously validated pediatric ambulatory caresensitive acs conditions identified potentially preventable hospitalizations seven additional conditions reflected updated care guidelines outcome variables included number admissions hospitalization days hospital charges demographic diagnostic variables associated acs condition compared regression analyses use appropriate personlevel weights results pediatric acs hospitalizations totaled 405b charges 1087570 hospitalization days 2006 two respiratory conditionsasthma bacterial pneumoniacomprised 484 acs hospital charges 467 acs hospitalization days multivariate analysis variables associated acs condition included male gender odds ratio 110 95 confidence interval 95 ci 107113 raceethnicity black 122 95 ci 116127 hispanic 112 95 ci 106118 emergency department admission source 137 95 ci 127148 conclusions respiratory conditions comprised largest proportion potentially preventable pediatric hospitalizations totaling much 196b hospital charges children hospitalized acs condition tend male nonwhite admitted emergency department future research prevent pediatric hospitalizations examine targeted interventions primary care setting specifically around respiratory conditions minority populations