A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE USE OF CERTAIN ANCILLARY SERVICES IN SELECTED GOVERNMENTAL AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL HOSPITALS.

摘要

The use of laboratory tests and electrocardiograms is analyzed in the voluntary hospital system,represented by two church-related hospitals,and in the governmental hospital system,represented by a locally owned and operated hospital district facility and a federal military hospital. Differences are tested for statistical significance and an effort is made to relate detected differences in the voluntary hospitals to the form of payment by the patient. Two objectives are of prime importance: (1) to establish a rate at which physicians in each of the two hospital systems order diagnostic studies for their patients,and (2) to establish whether the fact that a patient admitted to a voluntary hospital does or does not have hospital insurance coverage influences the attending physician's requests for diagnostic studies. (Author)