Measuring Quality of Ambulatory Health Care by Patient Condition at Time of Hospitalization. Volume II: Differences Between Medi-Cal, Privately Insured, and Other Patients

摘要

This study compares the outcome of ambulatory health care between Medi-Cal beneficiaries and privately insured persons. Outcome is measured by the 'staging' technique, which defines levels of severity for specific medical and surgical problems; the greater the severity of the illness at time of hospital admission, the higher the stage score. The quality of ambulatory care can therefore be measured by the stage scores of patients admitted from a particular ambulatory care setting.