This is a research information bleg.
Martin Gaynor linked to a very interesting study from 1998.
not a dime’s worth of difference between for- & non-profits in terms of cost & outcomes https://t.co/NwIj8NymFJ https://t.co/eZ8brBASbT
— Martin Gaynor (@MartinSGaynor) February 29, 2016
It was an examination of Medicare data and how prices varied or not varied between ownership structures.
For a set of Medicare medical shock events, there was no statistically significant difference on costs for patients for six months at either private, for profit hospitals and non-profit hospitals.
This was very interesting to me as I have the same thoughts on insurance company ownership and surplus distribution structures.
My biggest problem with using this study to confirm my priors is that the data is old and the US hospital landscape has changed dramatically.
Does anyone know if there are similar types of studies with much more recent data?
Cheap Jim, formerly Cheap Jim
A quick look at Medline suggests this from 2008: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/26784702_Chapter_7_The_Impact_of_Ownership_on_the_Cost-Efficiency_of_US_Hospitals
But it’s not my subject, so i don’t know if it’s helpful to you.
Catherine D.
https://www.researchgate.net/search.Search.html?type=publication&query=hospital+ownership+and+cost+and+quality
This should catch publications on the topic and publications that cite the original.
Eric U.
my cynical take on this subject is that the so-called “non-profits” are just spending money on executive compensation, hookers and blow. The NFL is a non-profit
Keith
@Catherine D.: An alternative tactic is to stroll through the list of cites below the article presented on researchgate.net.
Catherine D.
@Keith:
Or dive into Pubmed, since I bet most of those studies had some NIH funding.
Doctor Science
@Keith: Or do this in scholar.google.com, which is usually more complete.
Start here, then filter for date. The right column links to publicly-accessible versions of a given paper.
Doctor Science
A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies comparing mortality rates of private for-profit and private not-for-profit hospitals says “private for-profit hospitals were associated with a statistically significant increase in the risk of death”. Their follow-up study says
elm
I hate to break it to you, Richard, but you’re the best-informed and most sane person here.
Richard Mayhew
@Doctor Science: this is why I wanted more info !
Richard Mayhew
@elm: one element is not true and the other if true is quite scary
jl
California yanked the non-profit status of the Blues recently, or whatever it is named now. The state concluded that its behavior was indistinguishable from a for-profit enterprise. Probably some public analysis on that decision.
jl
@jl: Edit button disappeared. I meant to type:
” California yanked the non-profit status of ONE of the Blues recently, “
Shakezula
Have you checked through CMS’ data?