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 the total costs were skewed to the right, data were converted to log base 10 for statistical analysis. GB had a significantly positive impact on total costs (b = 0.10, P = .03). There was no significant correlation between gender, age or income state index and total costs (b = 0.02, P = .65; b = À0.002, P = .45; b = 0.01, P = .46, respectively), but there was a significantly positive correlation between Charlson comorbidity index and total costs (b = 0.17, P = .001). There were no significant differences in total costs between regional hospitals and medical centers or local hospitals and medical centers (b = 0.01, P = .90; b = 0.53, P = .42, respectively). Compared with hospitals in Taipei city, there were no significant differences in total costs among hospitals in northern Taiwan, central Taiwan, southern Taiwan, Kaoshiung city, or eastern Taiwan (b = 0.08, P = .33; b = 0.01, P = .92; b = 0.02, P = .78; b = 0.09, P = .31; b = À0.05, P = .62, respectively) ( Table 5) . Table 4 The impact of several independent variables on diagnostic costs, drug costs and therapy costs in the patients with unexplained fever (Generalized linear model). Table 5 The impact of several independent variables on total costs in the patients with unexplained fever (Generalized linear model).