What is it about?

The present study examined associations of acute medical care with hospital-level factors, such as the transfer and acceptance rates, and mediation effect of length of stay, using medical service fees per day as an outcome measure for the provision of acute medical care in hospitals in a region with limited medical resources.

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Why is it important?

Hospital-level factors, such as enhanced transfer function, reduced acceptance function, and high volume of patients for treatment of acute episodes per physician, showed positive associations with increased medical service fees per day, either directly or indirectly through length of stay. We suggest the incorporation of these three criteria identified from the results of our study to support hospitals that specialize in acute medical care.

Perspectives

Many previous studies did not consider the importance of a division of roles and cooperation among hospitals in selecting the variables of the characteristics of hospitals for analysis. Our findings highlighted the importance of supporting hospitals that specialize in acute medical care with their enhanced transfer function and reduced acceptance function. This would support them in concentrating their limited medical resources on medical services in the advanced acute and acute phases.

Takayuki Idaka
Fukushima Medical University

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This page is a summary of: Associations of acute medical care with the transfer and acceptance functions of hospitals in a region in Japan with limited medical resources, PLoS ONE, January 2023, PLOS,
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280802.
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