Table 1 Variables used to describe the patients living situation, health care utilization, and costs
Variable | Units # | Source | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Health care utilization | ||||
Secondary care | ||||
Inpatienta | Treatment | NPR [32] | All inpatient treatments (including ‘day-treatment’ and ‘overnight-treatments’) | |
Outpatienta | Treatment | NPR [32] | All outpatient treatments | |
Primary care | ||||
General practitioner | Consultations | KUHR [31] | One claim equals one consultation, including minor consultations such as telephone consultations and consultations for blood tests only | |
Emergency room | Visits | KUHR [31] | One claim equals one visit | |
Home- and community-based care | ||||
Practical assistance | Hours | IPLOS [36] | Total number of hours | |
Nursing assistance | Hours | IPLOS [36] | Total number of hours | |
Living arrangements | ||||
Hospital | Days | NPR [32] | Sum of days in hospital | |
Long term institutions | Days | IPLOS [36] | Sum days in long term institutions | |
Short term institutions | Days | IPLOS [36] | Sum days in short term institutions | |
Home | Days | – | Sum days at home (= total number of days - days in hospital - days in long - short term institutions) | |
Health care costs | ||||
Secondary care | Costs secondary care | NOK | Inpatient stay: DRG weight * unit costs. Outpatient stay: DRG weight * unit cost. Other costs not captured in DRG: laboratory, radiology and patient co-payment: (claim + co-payment) / 0,3 | |
Primary care | Costs primary care | NOK | Claim + out of pocket / 0,3 | |
Home- and community-based care | Costs home- and community-based care | NOK | Days in institution * NOK 2714 + hours of practical assistance * NOK 422 + hours of practical assistance * NOK 610 | |
Total costs | Total costs | NOK | – | Sum of total costs secondary, primary and home- and community-based care |