The impact of global budgeting in Taiwan on inpatients with unexplained fever

Liu, Keh-Sen; Yu, Tsung-Fu; Wu, Hsing-Ju; Lin, Chun-Yi

A generalized linear model was used for analysis. Because diagnostic costs were skewed to the right, data were converted to log base 10 for statistical analysis. The GB system had a significantly positive impact on diagnostic costs (b = 0.14, P = .002). Neither gender nor income state index was significantly correlated with diagnostic costs (b = 0.03, P = .57; b = 0.03, P = .12, respectively). There was a significantly negative correlation between age and diagnostic costs (b = À0.01, P = .003), and a significantly positive correlation between Charlson comorbidity index and diagnostic costs (b = 0.20, P < .001). There were no significant differences in diagnostic costs between regional hospitals and medical centers or local hospitals and medical centers (b = 0.01, P = .91; b = 0.05, P = .42, respectively). Compared with hospitals in Taipei city, there were no significant differences in diagnostic costs among hospitals located in northern Taiwan, central Taiwan, southern Taiwan, Kaoshiung city, or eastern Taiwan (b = 0.03, P = .69; b = 0.002, P = .97; b = 0.01, P = .90; b = À0.04, P = .64; b = À0.07, P = .49, respectively) ( Table 4 ). Taiwan) 9% 4% Table 3 The impact of several independent variables on LOS in the patients with unexplained fever (Generalized linear Poisson model).