Data from the Series 13 .t 

, NATIONAL HiALTH SlJRVEi Number 15. 

PatientChargesin 

Short-Stay Hospitals 

UnitedStates- 19684970 

Statistics are presented on the utilization of short-stay nonFederal hospitals based on data collected in the Hospital 

Discharge Survey from a national sample of hospital records 

of discharged patients. Number of discharges, total charges, 

average charge per episode of hospitalization, and average 

charge per day of hospitalization are presented by sex and age 

of patient, geographic region, bed size of hospital, and type of 

hospital service. Average charge per day of hospitalization is ” 

also presented by length of stay of patient. 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE 

Public Health Service 

Health Resources Administration 

National Center for Health Statistics 

Rockville, Md. May 1974 
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data 

Patient charges in short-stay hospitals, United States, 1968-1970. 

(National Center for Health Statistics. Data from the National Health Survey, series 13, 

no. 15) (DHEW publication no. (HRA) 74-1766) 

@’ a ‘SupC.‘ol.Docs. no.: HE 20.2210:13/5. 

I p >,+ I Inc\udes bibliographical references. 

, ,l,‘.Hospital care-United States-Costs-Statistics. I. Title. II. Series: United States. 

National Center for Health Statistics. Vital and health statistics. Series 13: Data from the 

hospital discharge survey, no. 15. III. Series: United States. Dept. of Health, Education, and 

Welfare. DHEW publication no. (HRA) 74-1766. [DNLM: 1. Costs and cost analysis. 2. Economics, Hospital-U.S. 3. Fees, Medical. W2A N148vm no. 15 19741 

RA407.3.A349 no. 15 [RA410.53] 362.1’1’0973s 

ISBN 0-8406-0001-l [338.4’3362’110973] 74-3217 , 

For saleby the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 2040’2- Pdco 85 cents 
NATIONAL CENTER FOR HEALTH STATISTICS’ 

EDWARD B. PERRIN, Ph.D., Director 

PHILIP S. LAWRENCE, Sc.D., Deputy Director 

DEAN E. KRUEGER, &ting Associate Director for Analysis 

GAIL F. FISHER, Associate Directorfor the Cooperutiwe Health Statistics System 

ELIJAH L. WHITE, Associate Director fir Data Sy.st~s 

IWAO M. MORIYAMA, Ph.D., Associate Director for International Statistical Programs 

EDWARD E. MINTY, Associate Director for Management 

ROBERT A. ISRAEL, Associate Directorfor Operations 

QUENTIN R. RJZMEIN, Associate Director for Progrum Devebpment 

PHILIP S. LAWRENCE, Sc.D., Acting Associate Director for Research 

ALICE HAYWOOD, Information Officer 

DIVISION OF HEALTH RESOURCES UTILIZATION STATISTICS -

COOPERATION OF THE BUREAU OF THE CENSUS 

Under the legislation establishing the National Health Survey, 

the Public Health Service is authorized to use, insofar as possible, 

the services or facilities of other Federal, State, or private agencies. 

In accordance with specifications established by the National 

Center for Health Statistics, the Bureau of the Census, under a 

contractual arrangement, participated in planning the survey and 

collecting the data. 

Vital and Health Statistics-Series 13-N+ 15 

DHEW Publication No. (HRA) 74-1766 

Library of Congress Catalog Card Ntimbei 74-3217 
CONTENTS 

Page 

Introduction ---------------_-_---------------------------------------- i 1 

Sources and Limitations of Data-------.----------------------------------

Background Data on Participating Hospitals----------------------------

Utilization by Type of HospitalService -----------_-----------------------

Age a& Sex ofPatient-----------------------------------------------

Geographic Region and Bed Size of Hospital ----___---__--_-----________ 

Total Charges by Type of Hospital Service -----_---------“---_-----------

Age and Sex of Patient ----------_“----_------------------------------

Geographic Region and Bed Size of Hospital ----_“-“--_------_----------

Average Charge Per Episode of Hospitalization ----------_--_------_______ 

Average Charge Per Day ofHospitalization-------------------------------. 

\ List of Detailed Tables ----------^--------------------------------------

Appendix I. Technical Notes on Methods-----__-^-_--_-_---_-----------

Statistical Design of the Hospital Discharge Survey---------------------

Data Collection andProcessing---------------------------------------

General Qualifications ----------_----_------------------------------

Reliability of Estimates ------------------_-_I__________________-----

Appendix II. Definitions of Certain Terms Used inThis Report------------

Terms Relating to Hospital Charges -----_------_--------------------- -_- Terms Relating to Hospitalization-------------~---------------------

Terms Relating to Hospitals and Hospital Characteristics-------,--------

Demographic Terms --------_-------__I-____________________-------­

. 

1 

2 

2 

2 

3. 

3 

3 

4 

5 

5 

7 

30 

30 

32 

32 

32 

40 

40 

40 

40 

41 
--- 

-- 

, 

SYMBOLS 

Data not available-----------------------

Category not applicable-.----------------- . . . 

Quantity zero ---__--__---_--__--_------- _ 

Quantity more than 0, but less than 0.0%­

Figure does not meet standards of 

reliability or precision----------?------- * 

iv 

0.0 
PATIENT CHARGES 

IN SHORT-STAY HOSPITALS 

Mary Moien, Division of Health Resources Utilization Statistics 

INTRODUCTION 

In 1968, an estimated 13.2 billion dollarswas 

spent on short-stay non-Federal hospital care 

(excluding maternity patients and newborn infants). This estimate rose to $15.5 billion in1969 

and $17.7 billion by 1970, an increase of approximately 34 percent over the 1968 figure. The 

estimated average charge per episode of hospitalization was $536 in 1968, $622 in 1969, and 

$693 in 1970. These are some major findings of 

the Hospital Discharge Survey (HDS) which since 

1965 has been collecting data on the characteristics of patients, their diagnoses and surgical 

procedures, and on the hospitals from which they 

were discharged. 

For the years 1968-1970, data was also collected on hospital charges and sources of payment. 

This report is based on hospital charges-the 

amount charged by the hospital to the patient or 

third-party insurer. This amount does not reflect 

the hospital’s cost for treating patients, nor does 

it necessarily reflect the amount actually received from insurance companies, Medicare, etc. 

For this survey hospital charges were classified 

into the following categories: room and care, 

pharmacy, laboratory, radiology, operating and/ 

or recovery room, professional services, and 

other services. Professional services relate only 

to charges which were billed by the hospital. The 

great majority of professional fees are billed 

separately by the physician’s office. The composition of these services is described in appendix II. 

SOURCESAND LIMITATIONIS 

OF DATA 

The estimates presented in this report are 

based on information obtained from the~medical 

and ledger records of a national sample of patients discharged from general and special shortstay hospitals, excluding Federal hospitals. Cut 

of a universe of 6,965 hospitals, 465 were in the 

complete HDS sample for 1968 through 1970. Of 

these 465, a subsample of 

drawn into the charges survey 

participating for all or part 

or part of 1969, and 130 for 

168 hospitals was 

with 142 hospitals 

of 1968, 137 for all 

all or part of 1970. 

The medical abstracts were completed in 

the medical record department of the hospital. 

Ledger abstracts for the same sample of discharges were then completed in the business 

office. After the records were received at the 

National Center for Health Statistics, they were 

matched using a computer program, edited, and 

tabulated, producing a final record which combined patient characteristics and diagnostic data 

with charges and source of payment data. A copy 

of the medical and ledger abstracts used in the 

survey are shown in appendix I. 

This report is concerned with the charges ~ 

data and is presented in terms of total charges 

as well as average charge per episode by room 

and care and other specified hospital services, 

by patient characteristics of age and sex, and by 

hospital characteristics of bed size and geographic region. Average charge per day of hospitalization is shown by length of stay intervals. 

1 
Data for newborn infants and females with 

deliveries are excluded from this report. The 

common practice of including charges information on one record for both mother and baby 

hampered analysis of this data. 

Since the estimates shown in this report are 

based on a sample of discharges rather than all 

discharges from all hospitals, they are subject 

to sampling error. Sampling error data can be 

found in appendix I. Additional data needed solely 

for computing standard errors for the average 

charge per day of hospitalization are found in 

tables 9 and 10. 

Due to the difference in the size of the sample 

between the ledger survey (approximately 67,000 

abstracts per year) and the medical survey 

(approximately 210,000 abstracts per year), comparability is not always possible between the 

data reported here and the 1968-1970 data published in other Hospital Discharge Survey reports 

in Vital and Health Statistics (Series 13,numbers 

10-14). 

Appendix II contains definitions of terms used 

in this report relating to hospitalization, hospital charges, and hospitals and their patients. 

Since several of the terms have specialized meanings for the Hospital Discharge Survey, familiarity with these definitions will aid in interpreting 

the data. 

Ba’ckground Data on Participating Hospitals 

The information on charges is affected by 

procedures used by participating hospitals in 

billing patients. The great majority of hospitals 

(90 percent) itemized charges billed for each 

patient. Two percent of the hospitals were either 

run by insurance foundations or for charity and 

had no posted charges, and 8 percent of the. hospitals had a fixed rate per day of hospitalization. 

Fixed-rate hospitals had no breakdown of charges 

shown on hospital records; in this report, therefore, total charges for these hospitals are shown 

under the room and care heading. 

Over half of the hospitals with 1,000 beds or 

more charged a fixed rate, whereas only 2 percent of the remaining hospitals had a fixed rate. 

By geographic region, 16 percent of the participating hospitals in the Northeast Region had a 

fixed rate, 11 percent in the West, 3 percent in 

the South, and 2 percent in the North Central. 

Because of the concentration of fixed-rate hospitals by bed size, and to a lesser degree by geographic region, care must be taken when examining utilization by type of service. 

UTILIZATION BY TYPE 

OF HOSPITAL SERVICE 

Age and Sex of Patient 

The number and percent of total patients who 

utilized the various types of hospital services are 

presented by age and sex for 1968 through 1970 

in table 1. Virtuany 100 percent of the total discharges had a charge for room and care, and 

about 90 to 95 percent incurred laboratory and 

pharmacy charges during each year. Approximately two-thirds of the patients discharged had 

a radiology charge. There was an operating and/ 

or recovery room charge for about 42 to 44,percent of the discharges andaprofessional services 

charge for about 11 to 16 percent. 

There were variations in the age andsexpatterns for the various types of hospital services. 

The percent of total discharges with charges for 

room and care and for laboratory services/were 

about the same for all sex and age groups for each 

year. On the other hand, the percent of discharges 

with a charge for pharmacy, radiology, or professional services generally increased with age. 

In 1970 the percent of all discharges utilizing the 

pharmacy increased from an estimated 85 percent 

for the age group under 15 years to 95 percent for 

those patients 65 years and over. For radiology 

the percent increased from 58 to 78 percent as 

age increased and for professional services from 

14 to 18 percent. These trends were the same for 

both sexes and each year of the study. 

The operating and/or, recovery room was 

the only hospital service for which utilization 

generally decreased with age for each year. For 

instance, in 1970 the percent of discharges utilizing the operating and/or recovery room was 49 

percent for the age group under 15 years, rose 

slightly for those 15 to 44 ,years,, and dipped to 

32 percent for patients 65 years and over. By 

sex, females had a higher percent operating and/ 

or recovery room utilization for 1968-1970. By. 

age, however, this higher utilization for females 
was concentrated in the age groups 15 to 44 and 

45 to 64. 

Geographic Region and Bed Size 

of Hospital 

Patient utilization by type of hospital service, 

geographic region, and bed size of hospital is 

shown in table 2. In evaluating patient utilization 

of specific hospital services, points discussed 

previously concerning fixed-rate hospitals are 

relevant. 

Regional variations were evident in the percent of patients with charges for the various 

hospital services. There were relatively small 

differences among the regions for percent of 

patients with charges for room and care and 

laboratory during each year of the study. There 

were larger variations among the regions for 

radiology charges. However, the largest relative 

differences were found in percent of discharges 

with a charge for professional services; percents 

for the West Region were about twice thoseof the 

Northeast Region for two of the three study years. 

With a few exceptions, the relative ranking 

by region of each type of hospital charge was the 

same for each year, 1968-1970. The percent of 

patients with a pharmacy charge was highest in 

the South and lowest in the Northeast for all 3 

years. In 1970, for example, the percents were 

94.5 and 86.1, respectively. For each year, the 

North Central Region had the highest percent 

utilization of radiology services and the West the 

lowest. For 1970, 71.7 percent of the discharges 

in the North Central Region had a radiology charge 

and only 57.1 percent of those in the West had a 

similar charge. The Northeast consistently had 

the highest percent of patients with an operating 

and/or recovery room charge (49.4 percent in 

1970), while for each year the South had the lowest percent utilization (39.7 percent in 1970). 

By bed size, differences in the percent of 

total patients by type of charge were relatively 

small among hospitals with fewer than 1,000 beds 

(table 2). The major variations occurred with 

utilization of operating and/or recovery room and 

professional services. However, for hospitals 

with 1,000 beds or more theproportionofpatients 

with all types of hospital charges except room and 

care was substantially lower due to the higher 

percent (53 percent) of fixed-rate hospitals in 

this bed size group. For example, only 31.7 percent of the patients discharged in 1970 from the 

largest hospitals had a pharmacy charge compared 

with 90.4 percent for all hospitals. 

Among the hospitals with fewer than 1,000 

beds, the percent utilization of operating and/or 

recovery room for each year was lowest foithe 

smallest hospitals. Greater specialization in the 

larger hospitals could account for these differences. In 1970, 29.5 percent of the patients in hospitals with 6-99 beds had operating and/or recovery room charges compared with Sl.Opercent 

in hospitals with 500-999 beds. 

TOTAL CHARGES BY TYPE 

OF HdSPlTAL SERVICE 

Age and Sex of Patient 

An estimated $13.2 billion was charged for 

short-stay hospital care in 1968. By 1970, the 

estimate was $17.7 billion, an increase of 34percent in 3 years. Total charges in dollars for each 

hospital service and the percent of the total bill 

allocated to each service are shown in table 3 by 

age and sex of patient. The largest allocationwas 

for room and care. Although the estimate in­

‘creased from $7.7 billion in 1968 to $10.1 billion 

in 1970, the percent of the total bill remained approximately 58 percent. 

The percent distribution of charges by type 

of hospital service remained stable for all 3 years 

of the study. The approximate percent of the 

charges allocated to laboratory services was 11 

percent, to pharmacy 7 percent, and to radiology 

5 percent. only 6 percent of the total was charged 

to operating and/or recovery room for each year. 

It must be remembered however that this charge 

did not include (except in very rare cases) the 

fee for the surgeon or the anesthesiologist. For 

this same reason, the dollar allocation for professional services is only 1 percent of total 

charges. Professional persons almost always bill 

the patient separately and are out of the scope of 

this survey. These trends were the same for both 

sexes for each year of the study. 

Percent distributions of patients discharged 

and money billed by age and sex are shown in 

table A. In general, those discharged under 45 

years used proportionately less of the total hos3 
29.1 

Table A. Percent distributions of discharges from short-stay hospitals and charges by 

sex and age: United States, 1968-70 -

1968 1969 

Sex and age , Percent Percent of Percent Percent of ,3f dis- hospital of dis- hospital ,charges charges charges charges 

Both sexes------- 100.0 100.0 100100.0 .0-II Under 15 years--------- 15-44 years------------

45-64 years------------

16.8 

33.9 

26.1 

2E 

30: 7 

16.7 

34.3 

26.2 

296’96 

30:8 

16.2 

34.8 

26.2 

9.4 

27.4 

31.2 

65 years and over------ 23.2 .33.2 22.9 32.7 22.8 32.0 

Male--------------- 46.4 47.8 46.1 47.5 45.0 I 46.2 

Under 15 years--------- 15-44 yea-j-s------------20.2 

29.1 % 

20.2 

29.8 - 11.1 

25.0 r 45-64 years _____ ---__-_ 27.6 32: 2 27.1 32.6 . 65dyears and over------ 23.1 32.5 22.9 31.3 

Female------------- 53.2 52.0 

Under 15 years--------- 15-44 years------------

13.8 7.8 13.7 

38.5 298’:.

45-64 years-i---------- E-92 29.3 25.4 29:5 

65 years and over------ 23: 2 33.9 22.5 33.4 

pita1 dollars than did older patients. These trends distribution of money for laboratory, radiology, 

also held true by sex. For 1970, discharges under and professional services. For pharmacy, the 

15 years of age accounted for 16.2 percent of all South had the highest percent each year, nearly 

discharges but only 9.4 percent of hospitaldollars double the figure for the Northeast Region. 

charged. Forty-nine percent of the discharges By bed size, hospitals with 1,000 beds or 

were 45 years or over, yet they were billed 63.2 more had a much larger proportion of the money 

percent of the total hospital charges. These pat- charged for room and care than did the smaller, 

terns were similar for 1968 and 1969. bed size groups (table 4); In 1968, this figure was ; 

. 76.6 percent compared with 58.8 percent for all 

Geographic Region and Bed Size hospitals and, in 1970,80.8 percent compared with 

of Hosp’itai 57.0 percent. The variation was due to the large 

number of fixed-rate hospitals in the largest bed 

The proportion of dollars billed for room and size group. For hospitals with fewer than 1,000 ( 

care was larger in the Northeast Region than in beds, there was little variation in the percent of 

the other regions (table 4). This applied to the money billed to individual services, with the exfindings for all 3 years. During the same period, ception of the hospitals with 6-99 beds. For 

the South Region consistently had the smallest these hospitals, the proportion of money spent 

proportion of money charged to room and care. in pharmacy service was quite a bit higher than 

There was little regional variation in the percent some of the larger size hospitals for’all 3 years. -J 

4 
----------------- 

---------- 

Table B. Average length of stay in shortstay hospitals by selected patient and 

hospital characteristics:United States,

1968-70 

Length of ‘stay in days Characteristic 

1969 L970 

ALL stays------- 8.8 8.4 

Age 

Under 15 years-------- 15-44 years-----------

45-64 years-----------

4.9 

962 

::5” 

4.9 

2: 

65 years and over----- 13:8 1297 12: 8 . Sex 

Male------------------

Female----------------

West------------------

Region .. 

Northeast--:---------- 10.3 10.4 10.0 

iVn$ Central--------- 8.4 

i-91 2: 7.6 

7:s 8:l 7.5 

Bed size of hospital 

6-99 beds --_----_----- 6.7

loo-199 beds----------

200-299 beds Z 

300-499 beds----------

500-999 beds---------- 98’97 

1,000 beds or more---- 11:9 

For the same period, the percent of money billed 

to operating and/or recovery room was lowest 

for this smallest bed size group. 

AVERAGE CHARGE PER EPISODE 

OF HOSPITALIZATION 

The estimated average charge per episode 

for patients discharged from short-stayhospitals 

went from $536 in 1968 ‘to $693 in 1970, an increase of approximately .29 percent in 3 years 

(table 5). By type of service, room and care had 

the highest average charge (approximately $396 

in 1970) and pharmacy had the lowest average 

charge ($51 per episode in 1970): 

Because of the effect of length of stay on 

average charge per episode of hospitalization, 

lengths of stay for the variables in this study are 

shown for 1968-1970 in table B. Average length 

of stay increased with age and the average charge 

for 1970 increased from $403 per episode for 

patients under 15 years to $971 for patients 65 

years and over. With few exceptions, the average 

charge per episode increased with age for each 

hospital service. This was also true by sex and 

for each year of the study. In 1970, for example, 

the average laboratory charge for females rose 

from $43 for those females under 15 years to 

$107 for females 65 years and over. 

The Northeast Region had a substantially 

higher average charge per episode than the other 

geographic regions for all 3 years, 1968-1970 

(table 6). As shown in table B, the Northeast also , 

had the longest average length of stay. The higher 

charges in the Northeast were concentrated in 

room and care, laboratory, and professional services. Although the West had the shortest length 

of stay, it had a higher average charge per episode 

than both the North Central or the South. For 1970 

the average charge per episode was $888 in the 

Northeast, $677 in the North Central, $548 in the 

South, and $737 in the West Region. 

By bed size, the average charge per episode 

generally increased as hospital size increased. 

In 1970, the average overall charge per episode 

was $431 for the smallest hospitals and $1,289 

for the largest ones. This pattern was due to the 

average length of stay increasing with size of 

hospital, as shown in table B, and also to the increased specialization of services in larger hospitals. Room and care and professional services 

showed the most marked increases for all 3 years. 

Ln 1970, room and care increased from $224 to 

$1,042, and professional services increasedfrom 

$29 to $256 per episode as bed size increased. 

AVERAGE CHARGE PER DAY 

OF HOSPITALIZATION 

The estimated average daily charge for all 

patients covered in this report was,$61 in 1968, 

$70 in 1969, and $82 in 1970 (table 7). This was 

an increase of 34 percent in the 3 years of the 

study. Hospitalization charges were twice as high 

per day for stays of 1 day or less as for stays of 

5 
31 days or more. In 1970, the average daily 

charge for stays of 1 day or less was $144. This 

figure tapered off to $82 for the 5th day and remained at about that level through the 30th day. 

The average daily charge for patients staying 

longer than 30 days was about 10 percent lower 

than for patients with shorter stays. This same 

pattern of charges was evident for each year; 

1968-1970. 

Patients 65 years and over had rhe lowest 

average daily charge for all lengths of stay combined. In 1970, the estimate for females 65 years 

and over was’$73 per day compared with $81 per 

day for females of all ages. Over the 3-year period charges increased fairly consistently for 

both sexes and all age groups. These increases 

averaged $20 to $25 per day of hospitalization. 

For example, the estimated average daily charge 

for males under 15 years increased from $60 in 

1968 to $79 in 1970 (table 7). 

The West had the highest daily charge of any 

geographic region for all 3 years. From $73 per 

day in 1968 it increased to $98 in 1970 (table 8). 

During this same period, the South had the lowest 

overall daily charges, estimated at $52 for 1968 

and $72 for 1970. Figure 1 shows the increase in 

daily charges by geographic region over the 3-

year period. The South increased $20 per day, 

and the West $25 per day from 1968 to 1970. 

000 

By bed size, the estimates of average charge 

per day generally increased as hospital size increased. In 1968, the average daily charge for 

the smallest hospitals was $47 and for the largest 

hospitals $71. For 1970, the average charge for 

the smallest hospitals had risen to ‘$64 per day 

and for the largest hospitals to $108 per day. -

100 1968 98 r -

80 q “‘O 

North Centri South 

GEOGRAPHIC REGION 

Figure I.’ Average charge per day of hospitalization in short-stay 

hospitals, by geographic region: United States, 1968-1970. 
------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Table 1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

9. 

10. 

LIST OF DETAILED TABLES 

Page 

Number and percent of discharges from short-stay hospitals, by sex and age of 

patient and type of hospital service: united States, 1968-70-------------------- 8 

Number and percent of discharges from short-stay hospitals, by' geographic region, bed size of hospital, and type of service: United States, 1968-70--------- 11 

Total charges and percent distribution for discharges from short-stay hospitals

';g,;yp; of hospital service, according to sex aa age of patient: United States, - 14 

Total charges and percent distribution for discharges from short-stay hospitals 

pital: United States, service, according to geographic region and bed size of hos- 17 by type of hospital 1968-70---------------------------------------------------

Average charge per episode bf hospitalization in short-stay hospitals, by sex 

and age of patient and type of hospital service: United States, 1968-70--------- 20 

Average charge per episode of hospitalization in short-stay hospitals, by geo­ f;;ih;; region,bed size of hospital,end type of hospital service: United States, - 22 

Average charge per day of hospitalization in short-stay hospitals, by sex and 

age of patient and length of stay: United States, 1968-70----------------------- 23 

Average charge per day of hospitalization in short-stay hospitals, by geographic region, bed size of hospital, and length of stay: United States, 1968-70-------- 26 

of of care in short-stay hospitals, by sex and age of patient and length 27 Total stay:daysUnited States, 1968-70-------------------------------------------------

Total days of care in short-stay hospitals, by geographic region, bed size of 

hospital, and length of stay: United States, 1968-70r-------------------------- (29 

7 
----------- 

--------- 

----------- 

100.0 99.5 

100.0 99.7 

60.3 

Table 1. Number and percent of discharges from short-stay hospitals, by sex and age of patient and type of hospital service: United States, 1968-70 

[ExcludesFederalhospitals,deliveries,andnewbominfants] 

All Room Operating 

Sex and age lischarges care 

and/or Professional Other and Laboratory Pharmacy Radiology recoveiy services services room . 

1970 

Both sexes' Nmnber in thousands 

All ages------ 24,268 23,129 1'/,333 11,311 1 4,090 23,138 ====I25’506 

Under 15 years--------- 15-44 years-------- %i z% 2% 3% 5,360 1,354

2,409 2,050 580 3,574 

4544 years -_---------- 6:696 61680 6:407 6:198 4% 1,086 xi 

65 years and over------ 5,839 5,838 I 5,662 5,571 259% J 1:865 1,070 5:474

Male 

All ages --_-------- 11,510 11,484 10,853 10,266 8,P60 L 4,751 1,794 10,290

Under 15 years--------- 2,319 2,313 2,207 1,952 1,341 1,125 323 1,982 15-44 years-------- 3,435 3,425 3,170 2,984 2,285 ' 1,538 515 3,023 45-64 year------------- 3,113 2,932 2,834 1,;;; 485 2,823 65 years and over------ x , 2,634 2,545 2,496 XII 472 2,462 

Female 

it

All ages 14,032 11 13,984 13,378 12,828 9,247 6,539 1 2,284 12,813 I 

Under 15 years--------- 1,746 1,562 1,053 921 1,586 15-44 years-------- 5,054 4,842 3,064 2,905 28% 4,885 45-64 yea,-s --------m--w 3,466 .3,355 600 3,334- 65 years and over------ 3,112 3,069 9% 1,;;; 2 597 3,008

Both sexes1 Percent2 

All ages 94.9 44.2 1 16.0 90.5’

+I gg-7 I I

Under 15 years--------- 100.0 99.7 95.4 84.8 58.0 49.4 86.1 15-44

45-64 year--------- 50.1 3 89.1 years ---_-------- 100.0 99.8 E E 74.5 16:2 

65 years and over------ 100.0 100.0 97:o 9514 78.3 24:: 18,3 XZi 

100.0 /I 99.8 / 94.3 41.3 15.6 ‘89.4 -=-PO 

Under 15 years--------- 100.0 99.7 ;524 E z-58 44.8 15.0 88.0 

48.5 13.9 85.5 15-44 years-------

45-64 years w----------- 100.0 99.7 93:9 90:s 7613 38.7 15.5 

65 years and over------ 100.0 100.0 96.6 94.7 77.5 33.5 17.9 R$ 

Female 

All ages 91.4 1, 65.9 46.6 16.3 91.3 

Under 15 years--------- 100.0 95.6 85.5 50.4 13.8 86.8

15-44 y&-s------------ 100.0 92.9 89.0 2-i 15.3 89.8 45-64 years------------ 100.0 97.2 73:1 E4 16.8 '93.5 

65 years and over------ 100.0 97.3 2:: 79.0 30:7 18.7 94.1 

See footnotes at end of table.. 

8 
----------- 5:728 5,724 

5,172 

51437 1% 4'E 

-- 

Table 1. Number and percent of discharges from short-stay hospitals, by sex ad age of patient and type of hospital service: United States, 1968-70-Con. 

Sex and age 

1969 

.Both s&es1 

All ages--------

Under 15 years-------- 15-44 years---------- 45-64 years 

65 years and over-----

Male 

All ages---------

Under'15 years-------- 15+& years------ 45-64 yea,-- -_---------

65 years and over-----

Female 

Al1 ages--------

Uoder 15 years-------- 15-44

45-64 years------­

ye.y,.s---r-­

65 years and over-----

Both sexes1 

All.ages-------­

- Under 15 years-------- 15-44 years------ 45-64 yea,-s------

65 years and over-----

All ages-----

Under 15 years-------- 15-44 Yeats------

45-64 years------

65 years and over-----

Female 

Under 15 years--------

45-64 15-44 years-----­years------

65 years and over-----

All 

discharges 

Number in thousands 

25,003 II 24,913 23,640 22,612 1 16,670 1 10,799 3,843 22,265 

4,164 4,155 x50: 3,575 2,386

8,515 ;a;$ 6,519 61239 

2,050 627 

1,233

1,033

1:790 949 

4,659 1,771 10,139 

1,154 347 1,965

1,458 503 2,919

1,185 474 2,799 862 448 2,457 

2,061 12,101 

1,552

4,606

3,139

2,805 

43.2 15.4 89.1 

15.1 84.6 

Ii? f 

4218 

14.4 

15.8 

88.0 

90.8 

31.3 16.6 92.0 

40.4 15.4 88.0 

49.7 14.9 Sk6 

43.2 14.9 86.3 

37.8 

32.1 23 

89.4 

91.4 

45.5 15.3 90.0 

48.6 84.5 

52.1 ggi 47.3 200 

30.4 1614 92:5 

9 

5,547 

11,524 I! 11,473 so ,790 

2,322 2,318 2,198

3,381 3,357 3,076 3,133 II 3,114 2,933 2,688 2,684 2,583 

13,450 Ij 13,411 12,822 

1,837 1,832 1,750

4,815 3,410 II xi:: 3,302 3,031 3:030 2,955 

94.6 

2.;

95:3 

96.8 

100.0 !I 99.6 93.6 

E%-; 238 94.7 

1oo:o 99:4 E 

100.0 99.9 96:l 

-I-100.0 . 99.7 95.3 

100.0 99.7 95.3 

100.0 

100.0 

99.5 

99.7 

93.1 

96.8 

100.0 100.0 97.5 

X~~ 4:412 

10,253 7,872 

1,997 1,337 2,909 2,211

2,827

2,519 2:;4,

-l-t 

Percent* 

90.4 66.7 

85.9 57.3 

88.3 59.4 

92.3 

94.9 5% 

89.0 68.3 

86.0 57.6

86.1 65.4 

90.3 72.6 

93.7 76.3 

91.7 65'.3 

85.6 56.9 

89.7 

94.2 575'55 

96.0 7717 

See footnotes at end of table. 

. . 

.., _ 

-. .L : 
---------- 

685 

Table 1. Number and percent

-

of discharges form short-stay hospitals, by sex and age of patient and type of hospital service: United States, 1968-70-Con. 

[ExcludesFederalhospitals,delivelies,andnewbominfants] 

ROolll Operating Other T

All and Laboratory Pharmacy Radiology r~~~~~~y Professional 

services, Sex and age discharges care services room 

1968 

Both sexes? Number in thousands 

All ages3----- 24.531 24.471 23,100 2,756 1 21,479 

I 

Under 15 years--------- 15-44 yeaj-s----------4,112

8,326 

4,102

8,301 

3,881

7,660 

396 

811 

3,346

7,213 45-64 years _---_-_---__ 6,410 6,386 6,076

65 years and over------ 5,678 5,676 5,478 864 x::, 

m 

All ages3 I-------- 11,370 11,351 10,603 9,826 

Under 15 years--------- 2,291 2,284 2,164 1,866 15-44 yeay------------ 3,313 3,308 3,008 @,-fj&years----------- 3,138 2,924 z2 

65 years and over------ 2,623 32%; , 2,503 2:370

-Female 

All ages3 13,102 13,061 12,441 11,601 

Under 15 years--------- 15-44 years--------- 45-64 year-------------

65 years and over------

1,809 1,806 4,998 4,979 3,257 3,239 3,037 3,035 1,706

4,639

3,138

2,957 

1,470

4,383

2,951

2,795 

Both sexes' Percent2 

All ages3 -------- 100.0 89.9 61.8 42.6 11.2 87.6 

Under 15 years--------- 15-44 yea)-s---------- 45-64 years __-----_-__-

65 years and over------

100.0 99.8 

100.0 99.7 

100.0 99.6 

100.0 100.0 

94.4 

92.0 

94.8 

96.5 

84.8 

87.7 . 91.6 

94.9 

50.8 

54.6 

68.6 

72.6 

48.9 

48.3 

41.8 

30.7 

9.6 

190.3 

15:2 

81.4 

86.6 

89.4 

91.2 

100.0 tI 99.8 1 93.2 88.6 64.0 39.7 11.5 86.4 

Under 15 years--------- 100.0 99.7 94.5 84.2 51.2 48.7 190.; 81.4 15-44 years----------- 100.0 99.8 90.8 86.2 61.6 42.3 85.0 45-64 yea,-s _----------- 100.0 99.8 93.2 90.0 69.5 10:6 88.2 

65 years and over------ 100.0 100.0 95.4 93.7 71.8 26' 15.3 90.3 

Female 

100.0 99.7 95.0 91.0 59.9 45.2 11.0, 88.5 

Under 15 years--------- 100.0 15-44 years------------ 100.0 45-64 Gears _-----_-_--- 100.0 

65 years and over------ ii---l- 100.0 

x 

99:s 

100.0 

94.3 85.4 

92.8 88.7 

96.4 93.1 

97.4 95.9 

50.5 

50.0 

67.8 

73.3 

49.3 

52.3 

4% 

x 

10:7 

15.2 

81.3 

87.7 

90.6 

92.0 

&cludes sex not stated. 

Percents indicate proportion of 

3Includes age not stated. discharges, by age and sex, with specified services. 

10 
--- 

, 

Table 2. Number and percent of discharges from short-stay hospitals,by geographic region, bed size of hospital, * 

and type-of hospital service: United States, 1968-70 -

[Exduda Federalhospitals, deliveries,andncwbominfantsl 

Room Operating 

Geograpk-i; r&m and All Other and Laboratory Pharmacy Radiology +~~~~~~, Professional 

dQFharges services care services room 

1970 Number in thousands 

All hospitals---- I 24,268 23,129 17,333 11,311 4,090 23,138 

Region 

Northeast-------------- 5,319 4,960 4,030 2,846 599 4,954 

North Central---------- 7,954 7,519 5,914 3,703 1,623 7,716 

South------------------ 7,573 7,465 5,292 3,132 1,131 7,416 

West -.---mm--------- 3,422 3,185 2,097 1,630 738 3,052 

Bed size -

6-99 be&-------------- 5,320 5,199 3,657 1,647 533 5,150 

100-199 beds----------- 5,193 5,063 3,628 2,434 940 5,070 

200-299 beds----------- 2,895 2,603 2,148 1,409 384 2,578 

300-499 beds----------- 6,602 6,273 '4,847 3,554 1,665 6,304 

50,-,-999 beds----------- 4,129 3,871 2,954 2,200 493 3,930 

1,000 beds or more----- 131 119 99 67 74 107 

Percent] 

All hospitals---- 100.0 99.7 94.9 90.4 67.8 44.2 16.0 90.5 

Region 

Northeast-------------- 100.0 99.9 92.3 86.1 70.0 49.4 86.0 

North Central---------- 100.0 100.0 96.4 91.1 71.7 44.9 93.5 

South------------------ 100.0 99.9 95.9 94.5 67.0 39.7 _ 93.9 

West------------------- 100.0 98.5 93.3 86.8 57.1 44.4 83.2 

Bed size 

6-99 be&-------------- 100.0 99.9 95.3 93.1 65.5 29.5 9.6 92.2 

100-199 beds----------- 100.0 99.9 96.0 93.6 67.0 45.0 17.4 93.7 

200-299 beds----------- 100.0 98.1 97.9 88.1 72.7 47.7 13.0 87.2 

300-499 beds----------- 100.0 99.9 95.1 90.4 69.8 51.2 24.0 90.8 

=,00-999 beds----------- 100.0 100.0 95.7 89.7 68.5 51.0 11.4 91.1 

1,000 beds or more----- 100.0 99.8 34.8 31.7 26.3 17.9 19.7 28.5 

See footnotes at end of table. 

11 
Table 2. Number and percent of discharges from short-stay hospitals,by geographic region, bed size of hospital, and type of hospital service: United States, 1968-70-Con. 

[ExcludesFederalhospitals,deliveries,andnewbominfants] 

Operating 

and Geograpi:i. ;;!g$on and All Other Room 

Laboratory Pharmacy Radiology ,~~~~~:, Professional 

discharges services care services room 

. 

1969 Number in thousands 

Ali hospitals--- 25.003 24,913 23,640 22,612 16,670 10,799 3,843 22,265 

Region 

Northeast------------- 5,508 5,478 5,052 4,742 3,834 2,641 555 4,617 

North Central--------- 8.102 8,091 7,804 7,398 5,727 3,642 1,519 7,511 

South----------------- 7,774 7,768 7,443 7,334 5,072 3,040 .1,163 7,226 

West------------------ 3,620 3,575 3,341 3,138 2,036 1,477 604 2,910 

Bed size 

6-99 beds ________-____ 5,437 5,407 5,135 5,076 3,355 1,543 647 4,942 

loo-199 beds---------- 5,005 4,999 4,778 4,652 3,390 2,125 690 4,562 

200-299 beds---------- 3,219 3,176 3,149 2,875 2,256 1,524 373 2,836 

300-499 beds---------- 8,118 8,117 7,761 7,439 5,552 4,141 1,807 7,339 

500-999 beds---------- 1,749 .2,739 2,605 2,377 1,962 1,369 268 2,401 

1,000 beds or more---- 474 474 213 194 155 98 58 185 

.' .: Percent' 

All hospitals--- 100.0 99.6 94.6 90.4 66.7 43.2 15.4 89.1 

Region 

Northeast------------- 100.0 99.5 91.7 86.1 69.6 47.9 10.1 83.8 

North Central--------- 100.0 99.9 96.3 91.3 70.7 45.0 18.8 92.7 

South----------------- 100.0 99.9 95.7 94.3 65.3 39.1 15.0 93.0 

West------------------ 100 .o 98.8 92.3 86.7 56.2 40.8 16.7 80.4 

Bed size 

6-99 beds------v--v 100.0 99.4 94.4 93.4 61.7 28.4 11.9 90.9 

loo-199 beds---------- 100.0 99.9 95.5 93.0 67.7 42.5 13.8 I 91.2 

200-299 beds---------- 100.0 98.7 97.8 89.3 70.1 47.3 11.6 88.1 . 300-499 beds---------- 100.0 100.0 95.6 91.6 68.4 51.0 22.3 9i.4 

500-999 beds---------- 100.0 99.6 94.8 86.5 71.4 49.8 9.7 87.3 

1,000 beds or more---- 100.0 100.0 44.8 40.8 32.6 20.8 12.2 39.0 

See footnotes at end of table. 

12 
------------------- 

-------------- 

Table 2. Number and percent of discharges from short-stay hospitals,by geographic region, bed size of hospital, and type'of hospital service: United States, 1968-70-Con. 

[ExdudesFcderalhospitals,deliveries,andnewbominfanu] 

Ge0grapE-i; ;r~$on and Other dis:&.ges 11 ig 1 Laboratory / Pharmacy 1 Radiology services 

1968 Nmber in thousands 

All hospitals---- 24,531 24,471 23,100 15,164 10,458 2,756 21,479 

- z.3 

Region 

Northeast-------------- 5,436 4,986 4,653 3,518 2,675 445 4,501 North Central---------- 57% 7,779 7,034 5,083 3,385 706 7,155 South------------------ 7:775 7,772 ?Ei 7,313 2,946 1,037 7,122 West------------------- 3,537 3,485 3:221 3,048 X~~ 2 1,452 567 2,700

Bed size 

6-99 beds------- 5,878 5,877 5,498 3,541 1,687 545 5,239 lo‘,-199 be&----------- 5,221 5,221 4,916 3,375 2,297 715 4,809 200-299 beds----------- 3,933 3,881 2,403 1,942 303 3,301 3O,,d,gg be&----------- 6,569 6,568 x 4,069 3,241 805 5,839 =,0,-,-999 beds---------- 2,416 2,412 2:068 1,633 1,183 g," 2,088 ,1,000 beds or more----- 514 513 241 180 142 108 201 

Percentl 

All hospitals---- 100.0 99.8 89.9 61.8 42.6 87.6 

Region 

Northeast-------------- 100.0 LOO.0 85.6 64.7 North Central---------- 100.0 99.9 90.4 65.3 t-1’ south------------------ 100.0 100.0 94.1 60.7 13:3 West 100.0 98.5 86.2 52.2 16.0 

Bed size 

6-99 beds 100.0 100.0 94.3 93.5 60.2 28.7 89.1 lo,,-199 beds -w---m----- 100.0 100.0 97.3 94.2 92.1 200-299 beds -m---m----- 100.0 98.7 88.0 24-f Et 83.9 300-499 beds----------- 100.0 100.0 E 90.2 61:9 4913 88.9 500-999 be& --mm------- 100.0 99.8 95:6 85.6 67,6 49.0 86.4 1,000 beds or more----- 100.0 99.8 46.8 35.1 27.7 20.9 

'Percents indicate proportion of discharges, by geographic region and bed size of hospital,with specified serv­ iceg.-Caution should be excerised in the use of this figure since the relative standard error of the estimated nua­ ber of discharges exceeds 25 percent. 

13 
444 

307 

152 150 

145 273 

Table 3. Total charges and percent distribution for discharges from short-stay hospitalsbytype of hospital sew-: ice, according to sex and age of patient: United States, 1968-70 

(ExcludesFederalhospitals,deliveries,andnewborninfants] 

All BOOIll Operating Pro- Other Sex and age Kscharges and Laboratory Pharmacy Radioldgy ,~~&~y fessional services care room services 

II 

1970 

Both sexes1 Charge in millions of dollars 

All ages-----..------ 1,171 937 1 1,187 1 214 2,W 

I I 

Under 15 years------------ 15-44 years---------------

45-64 years---------------

65 years and over---------

1,673

4,860

5,533

5,669 

901 

2,691

3,089

3,430 

168 

536 3% 

675 368 

630 409 

2% 

274 

175 

542 

$97 

% 

243 

549 

681 

633 

All ages-------------- 8,196 11 4,675 1 961 557 444 527 95 937 

Under 15 years------------ 908 512 

45-64 years---------------

65 years and over--------- 2,668 1,503

2,569 1,501 

354 184 

297 197 121 109 32; 

296 

312 

Female 

All ages-------------- 9,5.16 11 5,424 1 1,045 612 491 657 119 1,168 

Under 15 years------------ 15-44 jrears---------------

45-1j4 years---------------

65 years and over---------

761 

2,798

2,860

3,096 

38 

32: 1:: 

321 184 155 

333 212 153 

75 

196 

112 

8 

;37

40 

142 

324 

2; 

Both sexes1 Percent distribution 

All ages------------ 100.0 57.0 11.3 6.6 5.3 6.7 11..9 

Under 15 years------------ 15-44 years---------------

45-64 years---------------

100.0 

100.0 :x 

100.0 5518 

10.1 4.8 

11.0 

12.2 $:I 

10.5 

9.1 :4-z 

15-44 years--------------- 2,051 1,159 291: 1% 14: % E 2;: 

65 years and over--------- 100.0 60.5 11.1 . i:; 

12:3 

11.2 , 

Male 

All ages-------------- 100.0 57.0 11.7 6.8 5.4 6.4 11.5 

Under 15 years------------ 15-44 100.0 56.4 10.1 10.9 

45-64 years---------------

years---------------

65 years and over---------

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

56.5 

56.3 

58.4 

10.7 

13.3 

11.6 

2z 

6:9 

7.7 

22 

1:: 

%. 

22” 

11.1 

11.1 

12.2 

Female 

811 ages-------------- 100.0 57.0 11.0 6.4 5.2 6.9 12.3 

Under 15 years------------ 15-44 years--------------- 45-64 years---------------

65 years and over---------

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

50.9 

54.6 

55.4 

62.2 

10.0 

11.3 

11.2 

10.7 

4.6 

2.: 

6:s 

18.7 

l-l.6 

13.3 

10.3 

See footnotes at end of table. 

. 

'14 
12.4 

10.4 

10.8 

Table 3. Total charges and percent distribution for discharges from short-stay hospitals bytype of hospital serv­ ice, according to sex and age of patient: United States, 1968-70-Con. 

[ExcludesFcderalhospitalr,dctiveria,andnewbominfanu] 

All Room Operating Pro- Other Sex and age lischarges and Laboratory Pharmacy Radiology rzti&& fessional services care room services 

1969 

Both sexes.' Charge in millions of dollars 

All ages------------ 15.548 9.072 I 1.749 1.073 835 966 188 1,665 

Under 15 years------------ 1,534 857 157 82 152 

45-64 years---------------

65 years and over--------- 4,794

5,081 2,7743,119 

2% 

554 

335 

381 29 

283 

180 

495 

550 

&& 

All ages--~----------- 7,379 4,244 ] 844 513 402 437 849 

Under 15 years------------ 15-44 872 485 88 106 

15-44 years--------------- 4,139 2,322 25; 240 351 t93: 

45-64 years--------------- 1,761 989 

2: 14; 1:: 1% 194 years--------------- 2,390 1,380 168 134 126 256

65 years and over--------- 2,355 1,390 267 181 110 88 291 

All ages-------------- 8,148 4,816 1 903 557 433 527 814 

Under 15 years------------ 658 369 15-44

45-64 years--------------- 2,372 2;: 1% 1% 2:; 2:: years--------------- 2,400 P% 278 167 138 156 238 

65 years and over--------- 2,717 1:725 * 287 199 131 92 255 

Both sexes1 Percent distribution -

All ages------------ 100.0 58.4 11.3 6.2 1.2 10.7 

Under 

45-64 years---------------years---------------

65 years and over--------- %-: 

1oo:o 

56.1 

'57.9 

61.4 E-:,

10:9 

22 

2:: 

i:: 

E 

10.5 

10.9 

Male 

All ages-------------- 100.0 57.5 11.4 5.9 1.2 11.5 

Under 15 years------------ 15-44 years--------------- 100.0 

100.0 2: 

10.1 

10.8 

10.3 

5:: 

i-2 

1:2 

12.2 

11.1 

15 years------------ 100.0 55.9 10.2 15-44 

45-64 

45-64 years---------------

65 years and over--------- 100.0 100.0 

5717 

59.0 

12.5 

11.3 3.7 1.2 12.4 

Female 

All ages-------------- 100.0 59.1 11.1 6.5 1.2 10.0 

Under 15 years------------ 15-44 years---------------

100.0 

100.0 

56.1 

~'56.1 

10.5 

years--------------- 100.0 % 

65 years and over--------- 100.0 Ex . 10:6 

See footnotes at end of table. 

15 
according 

299 

-- 

Table 3. Total charges and percent distribution for discharges from short-stay hospitalsby type of hospital serv­ ice, to sex and age of patient: United States, 1968-70-Con.

- [ExcludesFederalhospitals,ddiveries,andnewbominfants] 

All I

<discharges 

13,154 

1,,227

3,518

4,039

4,367 

694 

1,521

2,025

2,042 

6,836 

531 

1,991

2,000

2,315 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

K%*i 

1oo:o 

100.0 

Room Operating Pro- Other and Laboratory Pharmacy Radiology &~&~, fessional services care services 

Sex and age 

1968 

Both sexes1 

All ages2 --_--_------

Under 15 years------------- 15-44 years---------------- 45-64 years----------------

65 years and over----------

Male 

Under 15 years------------- 15-44 years----------------

45-64 years----------------

65 years and over----------

Female 

All ages2--------------

Under 15 years------------- 15-44 years---------------- 45-64 years----------------

65 years and over----------

Both sexes1 

All ~ges2--------

Under 15 years------------- 15-44 years----------------

45-64 years----------------

65 years and over----------

Male 

Under 15 years------------- 15-44 years---------------- 45-64 years----------------

65 years and over----------

Female 

All ages2--------------

Under 15 years------------- 15-44 years---------------- 45-64 years----------------

65 years and over---------­

room 

Charge in millions of dollars 

7,732 / 1,500 966 1 693 1 795 1 146 

I I I 

2:: 122 22 

344 204 148 E 2 

r-t463 '333 358 74 

1% 93: 116: 8 

151 114 105 i88 

167 93 75 31: 

4,061 766 500 357 435 71 

300 

1,112

1,172

1,476 

2% 

229 

244 

2; 1;;

112 1;";125 

7 

xs 

Percent 

177 

distribution 

111 72 23 

58.8 1.1 

:c: 

58:o 

61.8 

58.1 1.2 

57.8 

57.3 

57.4 

59.6 

59.4 11.2 7.3 5.2 6.4 1.0 

56.5 

55.8 it:2 

58.6 

63.8 Zl 

\ 

1,322 

675 

1:; 

2 

646 

1% 

196 

212 

10.1 

10.1 

9.. 8 

'10.4 

10.0 

10.7 ' 

10.3 

10.3 

10.9 

10.9 

9.5 

10.3 

x*85 

9:2 

$ncludes sex not stated. 

Includes age not stated. 

16 
Table 4. Total charges andpercent distribution for discharges from short-s&y hospitalsbytype of hospital serv­ ice, according to geographic region and bed size of hospital: United States, 1968-70 

[ExcludesFederalhospitals,deliveries,andnewborninfants] 

= II I I I I 

Geographic region and 

clischarges 11 !z 1 Laboratory 1 Pharmacy 1 Radiology / 225 bed size *11 

1970 Chargewin millions of dollars 

All hospitals------- I 17,735 1-0,111 2,009 1,171 937 1,187 214 1,798 

Region 

Northeast----------------- 3,184 E 233 284 318 

North Central------------- 3,125 402 285 377 % 

South--------------------- 2,279 517 377 287 577 

West---------------------- 1,522 284 159 fl'f 205 373 

Bed size 

6-99 beds------------------

100-199 beds--------------- 2,405 1,247 259 227 148 132 267 

234 167 191 378

200-299 beds--------------- 9sE 'I% 324: 125 177 215 

300-499 beds--------------- $462 31093 . 603 ;9; 401 663 

1,000 beds or more--------- 484 391 414 9 12 22"; 4ti 

Percent distribution 

All hospitals-------- 100.0 57.0 11.3 6.6 5.3 6.7 10.1 

Region 

Northeast------------------

North Central--------------

South----------------------

West----------------------- /-

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

62.2 

55.9 

52.7 

.56.3 

11.5 

11.1 

12.0 

10.5 

4.6 5.5 

i-27 55-i 

5:9 417 

::;

E 

122 

13:3 

13.8 

Bed size 

500-999 beds--------------- 3,856 2,180, 242 22 

6-99 beds------------------ 100.0 51.9 10.8 5.5 11.1

100-199 beds-------------- 100.0 56.3 11.7 ;::: g-32 6.0 12.0

200-299 beds---------- 100.0 60.0 11.7 5.6 5:3

300-499 beds--------------- 100.0 56.6 11.0 5-z . 192::

500-999 beds---------- 100.0 56.5 12.3 E z-2 11.9 

1,000 beds or more--------- 100.0 80.8 5.6 1:9 2:5 2; 2.9 

17 
Table 4. Total charges and percent distribution for discharges from short-stay hospita,@bytype of hospital serv­ ice, according to geographic region and 'bed size of hospital: United States, 1968-70-Con. 

[ExcludesFederalhospitals,deliveries,andnewbominfan~] 

Room Operating Pro- Geogra$csfr~ion Other, and All and Laboratory Pharmacy Radiology r~$$y fessional discharges services care services room 

1969 0 Charge inmillions of dollars 

All hospitals------- 15,548 9,072 1,749 1,073 835 966 188 1,557 

\ 

Region 

Northeast----------------- 4,515 2,841 527 215 252 254 343 

North Central------------- 4,834 2,727 549 360 260 311 t3 590 

West---------------------- 2,370 1,418 237 147 114 173 28 2% 

Bed size 

6-99 beds-----------------

100-199 beds------------

200-299 beds------------

300-499 be&-----------

=,,,O-999 beds--------------

1,000 beds or more--------

2,032

2,487

2,347

5,719

2,476

488 

215 221 118 

208 145 

t97: 123 

625 :;:: 300 

318 131 

31 11 % 

:g 

404 

159 

12 

1 Ei 

23 

3: 

14 

239 

277 

220 

628 

279 

21 

Percent distribution 

All hospitals------- 100.0 11.2 6.9 5.4 6.2 1.2 10.0 

South--------------------- 3,830 2,086 436 351 208 227 40 

Region 

Northeast----------------- 100.0 62.9 11.7 4.8 1.8 

North Central------------- 100.0 56.4 11.4 13.8 

South--------------------- 100.0. 54.5 11.4 i:; E 12:6 

West---------------------- 100.0 59.8 10.0 . 1:2 10.7 

Bed size 

6-99 beds----------------- 100.0 55.2 10.6 10.9 11.8 

100-199 beds-------------- 100.0 55.8 11.7 8.4 11.1 

200-299 beds---------- 100.0 61.1 11.5 9.4 

300-499 beds-------------- 100.0 57.9 10.9 65:; 11.0 

500-999 beds-------------- 100.0 57.8 12.8 11.3 

1,000 beds or more-------- 100.0 79.1 6.4 2: 4.3 

/ 

18 
Table 4. Total charges and percent distribution for discharges from short-stay hospitalsbytype of hospital serv­ ice, according to geographic region and bed size of hospital: United States, 1968-70-Con. 

Geogra;;ps;;ion and . -

.- 1968 

All hospitals-------

Region 

Northeast-----------------

North Central-------------

South---------------------

West----------------------

Bed size 

(j-99 beds-----------------

100-199 beds--------------

200-299 beds--------------

300-499 beds--------------

500-999 beds--------------

1,000 beds or more--------

All hospitals-------

Region 

Northeast-----------------

North Central-------------

South---------------------

West----------------------

Bed size 

6-99 beds-----------------

100-199 beds-------------

200-299 beds--------------

300-499 beds-----------

500-999 beds--------------

1,000 beds/or more-------­

[ExcludesFederalhospitals,delivedes,andnewbominfants] 

Operating Pro- All Other Room 

Laboratory Pharmacy Radiology recovery -fessional discharges services and and/or 

care kervices room 

Charge in millions of dollars 

966 693 1,322 

==I== 

2,351 193 211 219 305 

3:307 2% 2,377 322 214 247 468 

314 177 192 369 

1,937 1% , 136 90 138 182 

1,082 227 103 214 

.2:491 xz 1,387 206 139 256 

164 250 

3,977 i% 25 260 374

1,822 1:030 116 120 195 

438 336 9 10 34 

Percent distribution 

100.0 58.8 ii.4 6.0 

12.1

Ez-t %z 11.4 

1oo:o 56:0 11.1

100.0 59.6 10.6 

100.0 54.8 11.5 10.8

100.0 56.6 8.4 10.4

100.0 61.7 10.0

100.0 2:: 9.4

100.0 ii:*2 10.7

100.0 76:6 2: 7.9 

19 
358 

459 

704 

897 

202 

258 

Table 5. Average charge per episode of hospitalization in short-stay hospitals, by sex and age of pa­ tient and type of hospital service: United States, 1968-70 

[ExcludesFedelalhospitals,deliveries,andnewbominfants] 

I I 

Operating ProfesSex and age Laboratory Pharmacy Radiology and/or sional Other 

recovery services services 

1970 

Both sexes1 Charge in dollars 

All ages----- 693 396 83 52 78 

Under 15 years----- 15-44 years-------- 45-64 years-------- 65 years and over--

403 

584;

971 

218 

304 

462 

588 73 

36 

220 

60 

1% 

118 

119 

Male 

All ages------- 712 407 89 54 55 111 84 

Under 15 years----- 15-44 years-------- 45-64 years-------- 65 years and over--

392 

5s5957 

975 

222 

338 

483 

570 

42 

162: 

117 

22

% 

36 

2";

59 

1% 

124 

123 

47. 

1% 

118 

Female 

All ages------- 678 388 78 48 I 53 

Under 15 years----- 15-44 yearsi------- 45-64 years-------- 65 years and over--

417 

514 

802 

968 

212 

282 

445

602 

43 

::

107 

1969 

Both sexes' Charge in dollars 

All ages----- 622 364 50 89 

Under 15 years----- 15-44 years-------- 45-64 years-------- 65 years and over--368 

483 

732

887 

206 

273 

22: 

Male 

All ages------- 640 370 

Under 15 years----- 15-44 years-------- 45-64 years-------- 65 years and over--

376 

5:: 

876 

209 

295

443 

518 

~~~ 

102 

103 

21 

59 

72 

52 

:: 

108 

Female 

All ages------- 606 359 64 

Under 15 years----- 358 202

15-44 years-------- 459 258

45-64 years-------- 704

65 years and over-- 897 E 

See footnotes at end of table. 

20 
Table 5. Average charge per episode of hospitalization in short-stay hospitals, by sex and age of pa­ tient and type of hospital service: United States, 1968-7Q-Con. 

[ExcludesFederalhospitals,deliveries,andnewbominfants] 

All Room Operating Profes- Other Sex and age and Laboratory Pharmacy Radiology and/or sional discharges care recovery services services 

1968 

Both sexes? 

All ages'----

Under 15 years----- 15-44 years-------- 45-64 years-------- 65 years and over-­

Male 

All ages2------

Under 15 years----- 15-44 years-------- 45-64 years-:-----­ 65 years and over-­

Female 

All ages2------

Under 15 years----- 15-44 years-------- 45-64 years-------- 65 years and over-­

lIncludes sex not stated. 

21ncludes age not stated. 

Charge in dollars 

536 316 65 44 46 76 53 62 

298 

2% 

171 

239

367 

3’59 

51 

769 475 64 

553 322 69 46 

303 175 

263 

::59 371 

778 464 

522 311 62 46 74 

293 

2:: 

166

223 

362 $8 

76; 486 83 

36 

56 

2 

56 

21 
Table 6. Average charge per episode of hospitalization in short-stay .hospitals, by geographic region, bed 

size of hospital, and type of hospital service: Uhited States, 1968-70 

[ExcludesFederalhospitals,detiveries,andnevribominf~ts] 

Geographic region and All Room Other and Laboratory Pharmacy. Radiology recovery 

services bed size discharges services care room 

Charge in dollars 

All hospitals----- 693 396 63 51 54 105 52 78 

Region 

Northeast--------------- 888 553 111 71 112 145 

North Central----------- 677 379 102 South------------------- 548 289 I2 I; $; West-------------------- 737 421 a3 1% 

Bed size 

h-99 beds--------------- 431 224 49 80 100-199 beds------------ 584 329 2 200-299 beds----------- 801 97: 1;: 300-499 beds------------ 787 t2 91 113 4; 500-999 beds------------ 894 506 115 124 58 

1,000 beds or more------ 1,289 .,042 203 181 256 

1969 

All hospitals----- 622 364 74 50 89 49 70 

Region 

Northeast--------------- 820 519 104 66 

North Central-----------

South-------------------

West--------------------

597 

493 

655 

337 

269 

397 

E 

71 g 

tied size 

h-99 beds--------------- 374 207

100-199 beds------------ 497 278 235

200-299 beds------------ 729 54

300-499 beds------------ 704 1%

500-999 beds------------ 901 522 2 

1,000 beds or more------ 1,029 813 85 

All hospitals----- 536 316 65 46 62 

Region 

Northeast--------------- 433 

North Central-----------

South-------------------

West--------------------

306 

238 

331 

29 

49 

64 

Bed size 

h-99 beds--------------- 336 184 100-199 beds------------ 266 2: 200-299 beds------------ "e:: 396

300-499 beds------------ 605 359 2 5OfJ-999 beds------------ 754 427 61 

1,000 beds or more------ a52 654 75 

22 
Table 7. Average charge per day of hospitalization in short-stay hospitalqby sex and age of patient

and length of stay: United States, 1968-70 

[ExcludesFederalhospitals,deliveries,andnewbominfants] 

Length of stay 

All 

Sex and age discharges 1dayf2 3 4 5 6 7-8 9-10 11-20 21-30 31 days ES days days days days 'days days days days days or more 

1970 

Both sexes.' Charge in dollars 

All ages------- 82 144 129 105 87 82 81 80 81 80 80 73 

Under 15 years------- 81 139 137 85 79 74 77 72 73 76 69 52 

15-44 years---------- 85 137 123 97 88 85 82 82 83 83 82 67 

45-64 years---------- 88 170 125 137 92 83 84 86 85 86 88 82 

65 years and over---- 76 154 131 99 84 80 76 75 77 75 74 73 

m 

All ages --------- 84 150 115 96 88 79 81 81 81 84 85 75 

Under 15 years------- 79 136 107 85 79 74 79 73 72 75 69 58 

15-44 years------ 85 148 114 98 90 80 82 82 84 85 89 67 

45-64 years---------- 89 173 130 104 93 81 84 86 87 88 92 85 

65 years and over---- 80 '2154 127 101 84 80 77 78 76 80 79 77 

, Female 

All ages --------- \ 

81 138 138 111 86 84 81 80 81 78 75 70 

Under 15 years------- 85 140 174 86 78 74 75 71 76 77 70 45 

15-44 years---------- 85 129 128 97 87 89 82 83 82 81 75 68 

45-64 years---------- 87 2165 122 162 91 86 84 85 82 83 83 79 

65 years and over---- 73 2153 135 97 83 80 76 72 78 71 70 71 

See footnotes at end of table. 

23 
---------- 

Table 7. Average charge per day of hobpitalization in short-stay hospitalqby sex and age of patient and length of stay: United States, 1968-70-Con. 

[ExcludesFederalhospitals,deliveries,andnewborn infants] 

Length of stay 

Sex and age 

2 3 

days days ,:.,, ; 

1969 

Both sexes1 Charge in dollars 

All ages------- 70 124 100 86 77 71 72 71 70 69 69 62 

Under 15 years------- 71 125 95 75 70 68 66 67 64 66 65 58 

15-44 years---------- 75 113 100 87 78 73 75 73 72 72 74 62 

45 -64 year- 74 142 108 93 80 71 73 73 72 73 74 68 

65 years and over---- 65 136 103 86 75 70 69 66 66 65 66 59 

-.Male 

All ages--------- i 72 130 100 86 78 69 72 72 70 71 70 66 

Under 15 years------- 71 124 95 76 71 67 64 68 64 67 63 61 

, 

I 

15-44 years---------- 75 126 103 88 79 70 77 73 74 74 72 65 

45-64 years __-_______ 76 2154 107 94 80 68 73 73 72 75 76 74 

65 years and over---- 67 2125 104 85 80 71 71 69 68 68 66 62 

Female 

I All ages--------- 69 118 99 86 76 74 72 70 69 68 69 58 

Under 15 years------- 70 127 95 73 67 69 68 64 63 65 68 54 

15-44 years---------- 74 104 98 a7 78 76 73 72 71 70 76 58 

45-64 years---------- 72 2128 108 92 81 75 73 73 73 71 72 61 

\ 

65 years and over----- 63 2150 103 - 86 71 69 68 64 63 63 65 57 

See footnotes at end of table. 

24 
---------- 

Table 7. Average charge per day of hospitalization in short-stay hospitals,by sex and age of patient and length of stay: United States, 1968-70-Con. 

[ExcludesFederalhospitals, deliieries, and newborn infants] 

Length of stay 

All 

Sex and&age discharges lday 2 3 4 5 6 7-8 9-10 11-20 21-30 31 days days days days days days days days' days days 

1968 

* . Both sexes1 

All ages3------

'Under 15 years-------

15-44 years----------

45-64 years----------

65 years and over----

yj3& 

. All ages3--------

Under 15 years-------

15-44 years----------

45-64 years----------

65 years and over----

Female 

All ages3--------

Under 15 years-------

15-44 years----------

45-64 year65 years and over----

1:;s or more 

Charge in dollars 

61 111 87 73 68 62 63 61 61 61 59 53 

E 

61 107 84 65 59 57 56 56 54 57 49 52 

65 100 87 73 70 63 64 63 65 63 61 56 

64 128 92 78 72 63 66 - 63 63 64 64 58 

56 140 91 73 65 62 61 59 57 57 57 49 

62 116 86 73 68 61 63 61 61 63 61 55 

60 107 84 64 60 58 56 55 53 57 46 51 

66 108 87 74 70 62 65 62 66 64 63 61 

64 2136 90 78 72 60 65 62 64 67 65 55 

59 2136 88 75 70 63 62 62 57 60 60 53 

60 106 88 73 67 63 63 61 61 59 57 51 

62 106 85 67 58 56 56 57 56 57 53 53 

65 94 87 73 71 64 64 63 64 63 60 51 

64 2119. 94 78 71 65 67 63 63 62 63 60 

53 2145 94 72 61 61 59 57 56 55 54 47 

%cludes sex not stated. 

Waution shouldbeexercised in the use of this figure since the relative standard error of the estimated days of care exceeds 25 percent. aIncludes age not stated. 

25 
Table 8. Average charge per day of' hospitalization in short-stay hospitals,by length of stay: United States, 1968-70 geographic region, bed size of hospital, and 

[ExcludesFederalhospitals,deliveries,andnewborninfants] 

Length of stay 

Geographic region and All'

bed size iischarges .; ;;z, 2 days 3 days 4 days 5 days 6 days ;,;, _. 9-10 11-20 21-30 31 days days days days or more 

Charge in dollars 

All hospitals--- 82 105 81 80 81 80 80 

Region 

Northeast-------------

North Central--------- South-----------------

West------------------

Bed size 

6-99 beds--------

100-199 beds----------

200-299 beds----------

300-499 beds----------

500-999 beds----------

1,000 beds or more----

1969 

All hospitals---

Region 

Northeast-------------

North Central--------- South-----------------

West------------------

Bed size 

6-99 beds- ---_-----_- 100-199 beds---------- 2,,,,-2gg'l,e& --_------- 300-499 beds----------

500-999 beds----------

1,000 beds or more----

All hospitals---

Region 

Northeast-------------

North Central--------­ south-----------------

West_--_---__-__-____-

Bed size 

6-99 be& _-______--__- loo-199 beds----------

200-299 beds----------

300-499 beds----------

500-999 beds----------

1,000 beds or more----

2: ::i 113 i: 

121 127 z: 69 

156 151 167 91 

118 156 62 46

129 100 ii

1154 130 109 ;?I 2 

163 129 142 86 

175 12: 110 91 i2 * * '115 98 

124 72 62 

140 

124

109

130 

1:: 2

136 111 

145 111

I162 118 * * 

87 

124 61

108 :: 129: 57 

1:;

128

129* 

* 

1

Caution should be exercised in the use of this figure since the relative standard error of the~estimated days of care ex- weds 25 percent. 

26 

,, ” 

<I / 

,’ 
---------- 

------- 

Table 9. Total days of care in short-stay

-

hospitals,by sex and age of patient and length of stay: United States, 1968-70 

[Exclud.zFederalhospit~,dclivedcr,andncwbominEants~ 

Length of stay 

All sex and age discharges I

.; ;:z, 2 days 3 da+ 4 days 5 days 6 days 7-8 9-10 n-20 21-30 31 days days days days days or more 

1970 

Both sexes1 

All ages-------- 215,101 2,607 7,469 7,997 8,689 -0,135 9,677 .1,068 L7,945 57,946 28,697 42,870 - - -

Under 15 years-------- 20,550 791 2,299 1,601 1,437 1,612 1,124 2,255 1,477 3,467 1,419 3,069 

15-44 years-------- 57,096 1,154 4,158 3,435 3,541 3,872 3,423 7,214 5,040 13,010 5,259 7,991 

45-64 year.------ 62,719 405 1,353 1,915 2,342 2,673 2,870 6,186 6,078 19,177 8,639 11,082 

65 years and over----- 74,735 2258 659 1,046 1,369 1,978 2,260 5,413 5,351 22,293 13,381 20,729 

-Male 

All ages _---___-_- 97,835 1,208 3.186 3.541 3.886 5.034 4.403 9.246 7.891 25,889 13,957 19,595 

Under 15 years-------- 11,534 415 1,253 918 848 954 625 1,320 863 1,992 787 1,559 

15-44 yea-fs------ 24,247 428 1,028 1,302 1,319 1,781 1,440 2,696 1,925 5,458 2,535 4,334 

45-64 years------ 29,827 2229 563 807 1,079 1,434 1,403 2,726 2,588 9,013 4,508 5,478 

65 years and over----- 32,228 2135 342 514 639 865 936 2,504 2,516 9,427 6,126 8,224 

Female 

All ages 116,980 1,393 4,274 4,446 4,792 5,079 5,271 .1,793 10,013 31,985 14,683 23,251 

Under 15 years-------- 8,978 373 1,044 682 587 650 500 935 614 1,475 631 1,486 

15-44 year------- 32,742 724 2,126 2,131 2,214 2,077 1,984 4,498 3,090 7,537 2,705 3,657 

45-64 years------ 32,840 2174 787 1,101 1,262 1,239 1,467 3,457 3,474 10,156 4,120 5,604 

65 years and over----- 42,421 2122 317 532 730 1,113 1,321 2,903 2,835 12,817 7,225 12,505 

1969 

Both sexes1 

All ages-------- 220,835 2,494 7,202 7,670 8,458 9,841 9,610 0,263 -7,186 56,803 29,962 51,346 

Under 15 years-------- 21,758 828 2,260 1,497 1,394 1,466 1,414 2,127 1,400 3,649 1,902 3,820 

15-44 years------ 55,471 1,033 2,966 3,436 3,530 3,755 3,422 6,944 5,149 12,477 4,658 8,102 

45-64 yea*s------ 64,955 381 1,357 1,801 2,056 2,793 2,732 6,081 5,839 18,495 8,939 14,481 

65 years and over----- 78,651 *252 618 937 1,478 1,827 2,042 5,110 4,799 22,182 L4,463 24,944 

& 

All ages-- 102,296 1.241 3,168 3.232 3.951 4.943 4,591 9.175 7,574 26,419 L3,610 24,392 

Under 15 years-------- 12,256 459 1,224 812 813 767 825 1,201 763 2,267 1,210 1,916 

15-44 years------ 23,436 433 1,005 1,164 1,471 1,788 1,437 2,735 1,920 5,120 2,115 4,247 

45-64 yea-fs--d--- 31,506 2206 631 781 942 1,485 1,393 2,821 2,620 8,766 4,266 6,020 

65 years and over----- 35,098 '142 308 475 726 903 936 2,417 2,271 10,266 6,020 10,635 

Female 

*11 ages----- 118,261 1,250 4,028 4,426 4,508 4,895 5,010 1,059 9,593 30,274 16,276 26,943 

Under 15 years-------- 9,459 367 1,035 683 582 699 589 922 637 1,370 675 1,899 

15-& yelps------ 31,951 598 1,959 2,266 2,060 1,964 1,982 4,204 3,213 7,354 2,498 3,855 

45-64 ye.qrs-------- 33,410 2174 726 1,017 1,114 1,308 1,339 3,251 3,219 9,708 4,673 6,880 

65 years and over----- 43,442 * 309 460 752 924 1,100 2,682 2,524 11,841 8,430 14,308 

See footnotes at end of table. 

27 
------- 

Table 9. Total days ofcare in short-stay hospitals,by sex and age of patient and length of stay: United States, 1968-70-&n. 

[Excludes Federal hospitals, dcliverics, and newborn infants] 

Length of stay 

All Sex and age discharges 

,,; f;g, 2 days 3 days 4 days 5 days 6 days ;,;, 9-10' n-20 21-30 31 days days days days or more 

1968 

Both sexes1 Number in thousands 

All ages" --_---- 215.465 2.610 6.940 7.512 8.304 9.563 9.289 19.788 17.432 50,722 

Under 15 years 20,077 867 2,228 1,367 1,477 1,459 1,192 2,136 1,425 2,687 

15-44 years---------- 53,986 1,069 2,831 3,375 3,344 3,536 3,276 6,532 5,397 8,195 

45-64 years----------- 62,914 403 1,280 1,773 2,131 2,700 2,703 6,051 5,478 13,746 

65 years and over----- 78,438 2271 600 996 1,350 1,869 2,118 5,061 5,128 26,095 

Male 

All ages3 --------- 100,811 3.008 3,302 3.906 4.348 7,597 -23,776 

Under 15 years--------

15-44 years----------

11,513 

23,112 

487 

450 

1,183 

966 

801 

1,237 

802 824 652 

1,419 1,567 1,325 

1,264 

2,597 

797 

1,979 

1,738 

4,251 

i 

45-64 years __-----_--_ 31,534 '227 560 792 1,052 1,463 1,396 2,908 2,513 7,325 

65 years and over----- 34,617 2150 298 470 631 896 975 2,281 2,305 10,462 

Female 

All ages3 --------- 114,136 1,292 3,907 4,195 4,908 9,812 26,825 

Under 15 years-------- 8,523 378 1,039 562 663 634 531 863 628 949 

15-44 years---------- 30,783 619 1,856 2,132 1,920 1,969 1,946 3,915 3,411 3,938 

45-64 years __-------_- 31,182 2176 714 977 1,077 1,226 1,302 3,138 2,965 6,344 

65 years and over----- 43,633 2120 298 525 712 967 1,129 2,761 2,808 15,594 

'Includes sex not stated. 

*Caution should be exercised in the use of this figure since the relative standard error of the estimated days of care ex­ ceeds 25 percent. 31ncludes age not stated. 

28 
geographic region, bed size of hospital, and length pf stay: United Table 10. Total days of care in shprt-stay

-

hospitals,by States, 1968-70 

[ExcludesFcderalhospitals,dcliverics,andncwbominfanu] 

Length of stay 

All 

diischarges I

.; ;z;, 2 days 3 days 4 days 5 days 6 days J-8 9-10 11-20 21-30 31 days days days days days - or nmre 

B.zQ Number in thousands 

All hospitals---

I

215,101 2,607 7,469 7,997 8,689 Lo,135 9,677 21,068 17,945 57,946 28,697 42.870 

Northeast------------- 503 1,384 1,622 2,378 14,287. 

North Central--------- 2,519 2,825 :31:: 1;s;;; South----------------- % 2,392 3,034 x’l; 161319 

West------------------ 565 1,175 1,209 1:370 6,970 5:650 

Bed size 

6-99 beds----------- 37,513 753 1,729 2,679 2 350 2,826 ;a; 4,119 3,27E 8,486 6,210 

100-199 beds----------

42t:z 1;;: 1,:;; 1,689 %$a~ 2,038 4,810 12,005 6,179 

200-299 beds---------- 860 1,015 ‘962 2,397 8,004 5,233 

300-499 beds---------- 62: 128 599 2,038 2,159 2,112 2,704 2,763 5,717 16,874 13,510

500-999 beds---------- 4;,p; 361 1,150 1,125* 1,393

* 

1,451* 1,5114 3 3;:; 11,366 9,961 

1,000 beds or more---- , * * 1,012 635 1,776 

All hospitals--- 220,835 2.494 7,202 7,670 8.458 9,841 9,610 20,263 17,186 56.803 29,962 51,346 L 

Region 

Northeast------------- % 4% 1,468 1,520 2,282 1,991 15,740 9,464 

North Central--------- x:9’ 2,656 3,029 18,720 3E $,&h ___--_------ _---- 62:664 712 21334 x: 2,978 3,227 x% 1; >;9" x72: 12:354

Nest------------------ 29,355 561 1,172 1:118 1,304 1,303 (383 I 3:599 8,098 

Bed size 

6-99 be&------- 39,288 764 1,601 1,969 2,069 2,819 2,193 4,037 3,003 8,334 4,135 8,365 . 

100-199 beds---------- 541 1,586 1,505 1,711 1,933 2,067 10,661 200-299 beds-.--------- 22f: 1289 820 919 1,042 1,108 1,178 2”;:; 8,692 %95 % 

300-499 beds---------- 75:509 633 2,;;; 2,475 2,716 2,922 3,;;; 5:932 19,939 LO:723 18:042 

500-999 beds---------- 7,994 4,735 8,716 3;,501; * 

x * 674

* 

765

4 

885

1,000 beds or more---- * * 2~~~ 1,181 784 2,105 , 

p&3 

All hospitals--- 215,465 2,610 6,940 7,512 8,304 9,563 9,289 19.788 17.432 54.490 28.814 50,722 

Region 

Northeast------------- 1,217 1,400 1,489 2,220 1,933 4,214 15,003 :;>;;; North Central--------- 56”: 2,203 2,287 2,683 2,937 South----------------- 750 2,323 2,697 2,973 3,119 m :% 3E 12:851 West -----m-------m--- - 586 1,196 1,128 1,159 1,288 1:273 2;134 61101 6,087 

Bed size 

6-99 beds- ---_-----_- 42,333 876 1,777 2,051 2,255 3,474 9,283 9,168 

loo-199 beds---------- 42,587 1,557 1,734 %Z 1% 7,630

200-299 beds---------- 37,744 :;9” :2:; 1,268 ;:;;t 1:394 10,139

300-499 beds---------- 61,213 527 1::;; xx 2,106 2,439 1y;; 500-999 beds---------- 25,421 * ‘602 

4 

770 x '758* 838 

1,000 beds or more---- 6,166 * * * 2:571 

'Caution should be exercised in the use of this figure since the relative standard error of the estimated days of care ex­ ceeds 25 percent. 

” 

1( 

f 

29 

i 
APPENDIX I s 

TECHNICAL NOTES ON METHODS ; 

Statistical Design of the 

Hospital Discharge Survey 

Scope of the survey.-The scope of the Hospital 

Discharge Survey (HDS) encompasses patients discharged from noninstitutional hospitals which have six 

beds or more for inpatient use, are located in the 50 

States and the District of Columbia, and which have an 

average length of stay of less than 30 days. Although 

all discharges of inpatients from these hospitals are 

within the scope of the survey, all newborn infants and 

females with deliveries are excluded from this report. 

Sampling frame and size of sample.-The universe 

(sampling frame) for the Hospital Discharge Survey 

consists of short-stay hospitals, excluding military and 

Veterans Administration hospitals, which are included 

in the Master Facility Inventory of Hospitals and Institutions (MFI). A detailed description of how the MFI 

was developed, its content, plans for maintaining it, 

and procedures for assessing the completeness of its 

coverage is published in an earlier rep0rt.t 

There were 6,965 hospitals in the universe. The 

distribution of short-stay hospitals by bed size and 

geographic region in the universe and in the HDS 

ledger sample is shown in table I. The complete sample 

for 1968-1970 consisted of 465 hospitals, from which 

a subsample of 168 was drawn for the ledger survey. 

Of these 168 hospitals, 7 were ruled out of scope of the 

survey because they failed to meet the definition of a 

short-stay hospital, and 19 refused to participate. Approximately 65,000 abstracts were received from the 

remaining 142 hospitals during 1968, 70,000 from the 

137 hospitals participating in, 1969, and 67,000 from 

130 hospitals in 1970. 

Sample de.&%,--All hospitals with 1,000 beds or 

more in the universe of short-stay hospitals were selected with certainty in the sample. All hospitals with 

fewer than 1,000 beds were stratified, the primary 

strata being the 24 size-by-region classes shown in 

table I. Within each of these 24 primary strata, the 

allocation of the hospitais was made through a conlNational Center for Health Statistics: Development and maintenance of a national inventory of hospitals and institutions. Vital and 

Health Statistics. PHS Pub. No. 1000~Series l-No. 3. Public Health Sew 

ice. Washington. U.S. Government Printing Office, Feb. 1965. 

30 

trolled selection technique so that hospitals inthe Sample would be properly distributed with regard to owner- , 

ship and geographic division. Sample hospitals were 

drawn with probabilities ranging from certainty for the 

largest hospitals to 1 in 40 for the smallest hospitals. 

The within-hospital sampling ratio for selecting 

discharges varied inversely with the probability of 

selection of the hospital. The smallest sampling fraction 

of discharged patients was taken in the largest hospitals 

and the largest fraction was taken in the smallest hospitals. This was done to compensate for the fact that 

hospitals were selected with probabilities proportionate to their size class and to assure that the overall 

probability of selecting a discharge would be approximately the same in all hospitals. 

In nearly all hospitals the daily listing sheet of 

discharges was the frame from which the subsamples 

of discharges were selected within the sample hospitals. 

The sample discharges were selected by a random 

technique, usually on the basis of the terminal digit 

of the patient’s medical record number-a number 

assigned when the patient was admitted to the hospital. If the hospital’s daily discharge listing did not 

show the medical record numbers, the sample was 

selected by starting with a randomly selected discharge and taking everykthdischarge thereafter. 

Estimation .-Statistics, produced by HDS are derived’ by a complex procedure. The basic unit of estimation is the sample patient abstract. The estimating 

procedure used to produce 

tional estimates has three 

inflation of reciprocals of 

selection, (2) adjustment 

ratio adjustments to fixed 

are described in appendix 

cations.s>3 

essentially unbiased naprincipal components-(l) 

the probabilities of sample 

for nonresponse, and (3) 

totals. These components 

I of two earlier publi­

*National Center for Health Statistics: Utilization of short-stay 

hospitals, summary of nonmedical statistics, United States, 1965. lrital 

andHealth Statistics. PHS Pub. No. 1000~Series 13-No. 2. Public Health 

Service. Washington. U.S. Government Printing Office, Aug. 1967. 

3National Center for Health Statistics: Utilization df short-stay 

hospitals by characteristics of discharged patients, United States, 1965. 

V&al and Health Statistics. PHS Pub. No. lOOO-Series 13-N& 3. Public 

Health Service. Washiigton. U.S. Government Printing Office, Dec. 

1967. 

D 
-------- 

Table I. Distribution of short-stay hospitals in the universe (MFI) and in the Hospital,Discharge Survey ledger sample, and number of hospitals that participated in the survey, by bed size of 

hospital and geographic region: United States, 1968-70 

Geographic Region 

Bed size of hospital United 

States 

All sizes Number of hospitals 

Universe--------------------------------------------­

,T’tal sample----------------------------------------- 6,;;; 1,225; 

Number participating for 1968------------------------ 142 

Number participating for 1969------------------------ 137 :;

Number participating for 1970------------------------ 130 17 

6-49 beds 

Universe--------------------------------------------- 3,113 199 830 1,438 646 

I 

Number participating for 1968--------F--------------- Nuder participating for 1969------------------------

Nuder participating for 1970------------------------

E 

E 

; 

; 

: 

5 

65 

5 

i 

z 

50-99 beds 

Universe---------------------------------------------

Total sample ---------_----------------------- Number participating for 1968------------------------

Number participating for 1969------------------------

Number participating for 1970------------------------

---m--m1,623

22 

2 

18 

288 

: 

:: 

44z 

6 

: 

587 

8 

ii 

6 

306 

2 

:: 

loo-199 beds 

Total sample ___------_--------______________________- 6 8 

Universe---------------------------------------------

Total sample _-------_---------_-------------- Numb&r participating for 1968------------------------

Number participating for 1969---------r--------------

Number participating for 1970------------------------

378

ia 

ii 

7 

332 

10 

z 

7 

157 

4 

4 

2 

-.200-299 beds 

Universe------------------------------------ ----m-m--

Total sample-----------------------------------------

Number participating for 1968------------------------ Number participating for 1969------------------------

'E 

24 

22 

182 

10 

: 

151 

: 

13:: 

! 

85 

4 

z 

Number partic>pating for 1970------------------------ 22 8 z 5 3 

300-499 beds 

Universe---------------------------------------------

Total sample----------------------------------------- 386 ,110

8 

129 51 

30 10 4

Number participating for 1968------------------------ 2 

Number participating for 1969------------------------ t: 2 ;

Number participating for 1970------------------------ 21 6 8 f 

, 500-999 beds 

Universe--------------------------------------------- 129 46 28 13 Total sample----------------------------------------- 18 ": 4 

Number participating for 1969------------------------ Nuder participating for 1970------------------------ 2 

17 

: 

6 

6 

6 

2 

3 

2 

2 

1,000 beds or more 

Universe---------------------------------------------

Tot-1 sample---------------------------------------~- 5 

5 

1 

Number participating for 1968------------------------ Number participating for 1969------------------------

Number participating for 1970------------------------ t 

4 

:: 

1 

1 

Number participating for 1968------------------------ z I 

31 
A poststratum ratio adjustment is included only in 

the estimation of patient charges. The adjusting multiplier ratio is obtained by dividing the total weighted 

discharges by stratum for the total year of all in-scope 

hospitals that sent in medical abstracts by the total 

weighted discharges by stratum for the total year of 

the in-scope hospitals that sent in both medical and 

ledger abstracts. 

Data Collection and Processing 

Depending on the study procedure agreed on with 

the hospital administrator, the sample selection and 

the transcription of information from the hospital 

medical records and business office records to the 

abstract forms were performed either by the hospital 

staff or by representatives of the National Center for 

Health Statistics (NCHS), or by both. In more than threequarters of -the hospitals that participated in HDS during 

1968-1970, this work was performed by the medical 

records department or the business office of the hospital. In the remaining Wspitals, nearly all the work 

was performed by personnel of the U.S. Bureau of the 

Census acting for NCHS. 

During the last quarter of 1968, nearly all survey 

hospitals changed from an optical mark page reader 

form (figure I) on which data was transcribed from 

hospital medical records to the form shown in figure 

II. 

Data pYoc/essi~ and editing of dot&-Shipments 

of completed abstract forms for each sample hospital 

were transmitted along with sample selection control 

sheets to NCHS for processing. Every shipment of 

abstracts was reviewed; each abstract form was 

checked for completeness; and when necessary, problems were referred to the hospitals for clarification 

and correction. 

The nonmedical data in sections I and II of the 

medical abstract form were converted to tape. The 

abstract forms were then transmitted to medical coding, 

where the diagnoses and operations were coded. 

After the diagnoses and operations were coded, they 

were converted to tape and matched with their corresponding nonmedical portion. 

Final editing was done by computer inspection of 

the medical data compared with the age and sex information. If sex or age of the patient was incompatible 

with the recorded medical information, priority was 

given to the latter in the editing decision. 

The majority of rejects were corrected by reviewing and editing the information on the abstract 

forms. However, where it was impossible.to correct 

the code of a rejected item, that item was coded and 

tabulated as “not stated . ” This procedure was applied 

to all items except “date of admission” and “date of 

discharge, I’ ,which were not permitted to be coded as 

“not stated.” In instances where these data could not 

be obtained from the abstract form, the monthly sample 

listing sheet transmitted by the sample hospital was 

used as an additional source of information. 

The data from the ledger abstracts (figure III) were 

also converted to tape in a similar way and the information edited for completeness both manually and on 

the computer. This ledger tape was then matched with 

the tape.containing the medical abstract information, 

forming a combined medical and ledger tape .which ’ 

provided the data for this report. 

General Qualifications 

Rounding of numbevs.i.Percents and average 

lengths of stay presented were-calculated on the basis 

of unrounded figures and then rounded for presentation. 

Therefore figures within the tables may not add to pre- ’ 

sented totals. 

Patient characteristics “‘not stated.“-Age and/or 

sex was not stated for less than 1 percent of all discharges. 

Reliability of Estimates 

Estimates from sample surveys such ‘as the 

Hospital Discharge Survey are subject to two types 

of errors-measurement or nonsampling errors and 

sampling errors. Measurement errors can occur in 

a complete count or census as well as in a sample 

survey. Sampling errors, on the other hand, occur because a sample instead of a complete count is taken. 

Measurement errors.-Measurement errors include those due to hospital nonresponse, missing 

abstracts, information incompletely or inaccurately 

recorded on abstract forms, and processing errors. 

Some of these have been discussed in earlier sections 

of this appendix. 

Sampling errors.--The standard error in this 

survey is primarily a measure of the sampling variability that occurs by chance because the estimates 

are based on a sample of short-stay hospitals rather 

than all discharges from all short-stay hospitals. The 

relative standard error of an estimate is obtained by 

dividing the standard error of the estimate by the 

estimate itself and is expressed as a percentage of the 

estimate. 

The chances are about 68 out of 100 that the value 

obtained in a complete enumeration is contained in the 

interval represented by the estimate plus and minus 

.one ‘standard error of the estimate, 95 out of 100 for 

two standard errors, and 99 out of 100 for 2 % standard errors. Applying the illustration at the bottom of 

32 
__-__ _-_-- 

CONFIDENTIAL-AUinformation which would permit identification of an individual 

by persons engaged in and for the purposes of the survey and will not be 

purpose (22 FR 1687). 

DEPARTMENT OF 

HEALTH. EDUCATION. AND WELFARE PHS4734.2 PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE 

REV. II+5 

NATlONAL CENTER FOR HEALTH STATISTICS 

ABSTRACTOF PATIENT RECORD-Hospital Discharge Survey ’ 

_--- _--_______ _-___--_-__- •~=: _____ --__ TI-- ~I~ - ---- --_-- --__ _--

2. HDS NUMBER 

3. MEDICAL RECORD NUMBER 

4.a. DATE OF BIRTH 

Complete 4b and 4c if 

date of biith is not given. 

4.b. AGE 

4.~. AGE IS STATED IN 

5. SEX 

6. RACE OR COLOR 

7. MARITAL STATUS 

8. DATE OF ADMISSION 

9. DATE OF DISCHARGE 

ID. DISCHARGE STATUS 

Figure I. Abstract of patient record. 
11. FINAL DIAGNOSES: 

-

-

-. ’ 

I 12a. WAS AN OPERATION YES NO PERFORMED 7 _____ _.___ ___. _ ___._ 

12b. OPERATIONS: -

/ 

-’ 

COMPLETED BY ABSTFXTOR DATE 

-I 

OPERATION CODES 

-, 

:; 

:: 

:: 

:: 

:: -

:: 

U 

S :: 

E :z 

:: 

I 

b 

-. 

4c 

I 
Hshess- 1 Form Approved 

O.M.B. No. 68-ROGZO 9/70 

CONFIDENTIAL - All infomation which would permjt idenr~fication of an individual or of an establishmen: will be held confidential. will be used 

only by persons en-aged in and for rhe purposes of the survey and will nor be disclosed or released to other personaor used for any other pufpos~. 

DEPARTMEHT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE 

Public Health Service 

Health Services and Mental Health Administration 

National Center for Health Statistics 

MEDICAL ABSTRACT - HOSPITAL DISCHARGE SURVEY _ 

1. Patient Identification 

1. Hospital number . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4. Date of admission 

Month Day Year 

2. HDS number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5. Date of discharge 

3. Medical record number..... MOnth 03~ Year 

II. Patient Characteristics 

1. Date of birth: 2. .Age (complete ONLY 1 q Ye=S , Month Day Year if date of birth not given): 

Units 

2 q months 

t 3 0 days 

3. Sex: 1 0 Male 2 aFemale 

4. Race or color: 1 0 White 2 0 Negro 3 q Other nonwhite 4 0 “Nonwhite” 5 q Not stated 

5. Marital status: 1 0 Married 2 0 Single 3 0 Widowed 4 0 Divorced 5 q Separated 6 j-J iot stated 

6. Discharge status: 1 0 Alive 2 0 Dead 

III’. Diagnoses and Operations 

1. Final diagnoses: 

n see reverse side 

2. Operations: 

0 see reverse side 

Completed by Date 

FOR NCHS USE ONLY ‘_ 

Diagnoses 

Operations

\ 

Figure I I. Medical abstract. 
-- ------ ^ ... . - -- ------ rr--.-7 ---o-- _.--

CONFIDENTIAL - All information which would permit identification of an individual or an establishment will be held confidential 

vi11 be used only by persons en 

5 

aged in and for the purposes of the survey and will not be disclosed or released to other persons~

lsed for.,any other purpose, (22 R 1687). 

yi&‘533~,17 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE 

PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE , 

NATIONAL CENTER FOR HEALTH STATISTICS 

LEDGER ABSTRACT -.HOSPITAL DISCHARGE SURVEY 

. PATIENT IDENTIFICATION 

1. Hospital number . . . . . . . 

2. HDS number . . . . . . . . . . 4. Date of admission - - - - * * 

/ 

Dollars Cents 

14. Health insurance 

6. Room and care . . . . . . . . A. Blue Cross/Blue Shield . 

7. Laboratory . . . . . . . . . . 

B. Commercial Insurance . . . 

8. Pharmacy . . . . . . . . . . . 

C. Other Health Plans.,. . . . 

9. Radiology . . . . . . . . . . . 

15. Patient responsibility . . . . . 10. Operating, delivery, and/or recovery room . . . 

11. Professional fees . . . . . 

17. Welfare and Medicaid . . . . . . 

12. All other charges . . . . . . 

,18. Other (specify in notes) . . . . . . 

1’3. TOTAL CHARGES. . . . . . (If total does not equal item 13, 

explain difference in notes) . . . 

, 

esQotes 

Completed by abstracter Date 

Figure I I I. Ledger abstract. i 

36 
Figure IV. Approximate relative standard errors of estimated numbers of patients discharged for patient characteristics (including type of 

charge) by geographic region and sizt of hospital, and for all hospitals 

IO 100 l.ooO 10,000 30,ooo 

SIZE OF ESTIMATE IN THOUSANDS 

Illustration of use of figure IV: As shown in table 1, an estimated 2,164,OOO male patients under 15 years had a laboratory charge in 1966. The 

relative standard error of this estimate as read from the line “All hospitals” isapproximately 3.3 percent: the standard error of 2,164,OOO is 71,412 

(3.3 percent of 2,164,ODO). 

figure IV, the chances are about 68 out of 100 that the ing with which the patient characteristic(s) is crossvalue that would be obtained in a complete enumeration classified. The procedures that apply are as follows: 

is contained in the interval 2J64.000 + 3.3 percent of 

2,164,000 (between 2,093,OOO and 2,235,000), 95 out of 1. Estimated numbers of discharges: Approximate 

100 for the interval 2,164,OOO -+ 3.3 percent of 2,164,OOO relative standard errors of estimated numbers 

multiplied by 2, and 99 out of 100 for the interval of discharges are obtained from the curves 

2,164,OOO f 3.3 percent of 2,164,OOO multiplied by 2.5. shown in figure IV. 

The standard error of one statistic is generally 

different from that of another, even when the two come 2. Estimated amount of charges: Approximate 

from the same survey. In order to derive standard relative standard errors of estimated amount 

errors that would be applicable to a wide variety of of charges are obtained from the curves shown 

statistics and that could be prepared at a moderate in figure V. 

cost, a number of approximations are required. As a 3. Estimated numbers of days of care: Approxresult, figures IV, V, and VI and tables II and III pro- imate relative standard errors of estimated 

vide general standard errors for a wide variety of numbers of days of care are obtained from the 

estimates rather than the specific error for a parti- curves shown in figure VI. 

cular statistic. 

The relative standard errors and approximate 4. Estimated percentages of discharges in a percent distribution: Approximate standard errors standard errors of percentages that have been pre- of estimated percentages of discharges when pared for this report are applicable to estimates of the characteristic(s) used to form the numer­ discharges, charges, and days of care for patient char- ator is a subclass of the denominator are shown acteristics (age, sex, and the cross-classification age in table II. by sex and type of charge) cross-classified by one of 

three hospital groupings as follows: (1) by region (e.g., 5. Estimated percentages of charges in a percent 

South), (2) by bed size (e.g., 100-199 beds), or (3) by distribution: Approximate standard errors of 

hospitals summed over all regions and all size groups. estimated percentages of charges when the 

The particular figure or table to which one refers to characteristic(s) used to form the numerator 

obtain a sampling error is contingent upon both the is a subclass of the denominator are shown in 

type of estimate (e.g., charges) and the hospital group- table III. 
Figure V. Approximate relative standard errors of estimated amount of charges for patient characteristics (including type of charge) by 

geographic region and size of hospital and for all hospitals 

A A A * . 

10 100 1,000 10,000 20,000 

SIZE OF ESTIMATE IN MILLIONS 

Illustration of use of figure V: As shown in table 4, in 1968 an estimated $206,000,000 was for pharmacy charges for patients in hospitals with 

bed size 100-199. The relative standard error of this estimate as read from the line “Size groups” is approximately 7.9 percent: thestandard 

error of $206,000,000 is $16,274,000 (7.9 percent of $206,000,000). 

Figure VI. Approximate relative standard errors of estimated numbers of days of care for patient characteristics (including type of 

charge) by geographic region and size of hospital, and for all hospitals 

Illustration for use of figure VI: As shown in table 10, in 1970 an estimated 69,616,OOO days of care were provided to patients in the North 

Central region of the country. The relative standard error of this estimate as read from the line “Region groups” is approximately 3.2 percent: 

the standard error of 69,616,OOO is 2,227,712 (3.2 percent of 69,616,OOO). 

1 
0.05 26' 118 0.8321 f.98 0.431 218 1.2 11..7 52 0.5412: 

----------- ---- ---- 

-- 

Table' II. Annroximate standard errors of oercentages sgbwn in this reporf for discharges: patient characteristics (including type of 

charges) classified by geographic region and 

for all hospitals 

[Standard errors for patient characteristics classified by size of hospital 

are 1% times the standard errors shown in this table] 

Number of Estimated percent 

discharges

(base of 

percent in

thousands) i$$$$gT 

I I I 1 

Standard error expressed in 

percentage points 

16.5 

::'i 

::: 

::5' 

X:f I 

Illustrationofuse oftable II: Table 2 shows 

that in 1968 52.2 Dercent of the 3.537.000 oatients discharged ik the West Regio; ha;e a ;a­ diolqgy charge. Linear interpolation between 

the values shown in table II will yield an ap­ proxiinate standard error of 1.1 percent for an

esti.qateof52.2 percent withabaseof3,357,000. 

Approximate standard errors of average charge 

per episode can be calculated as in the following 

example: 

Suppose the standard error (uRf) of the 1968 average 

charge per episode for females aged 45-64 years with 

a laboratory charge for all hospitals is desired. The 

estimated number of discharges for this statistic is 

3,138,OOO (table 1) and the estimated amount of charges 

is $229,000,000 (table 3). 

R’= Amount of charges 

Number of discharges

Let 

The relative standard error ( vX ,) of $229,000,000 (from 

all 2ospitals2curve in figure V) is 3.3 percent, or .033; 

VX’ = (.033) .The relative standard error (v,~) of 

3,138,OOO (from all $ospitals zurve in figure IV) is 3.2 

percent, or .032; V,' = (.032) . The sample correlation 

coefficient (r)which measures the closeness of the relation between the estimated amount of charges and the 

estimated number of discharges has been computed to 

be 0.82. 

Table III. Approximate standard errors of per­ centages shown in this report for charges: patient characteristics (including type of 

charge) classified by geographic region and 

for all hospitals 

[Standard errors for patient characteristics classified by size of hospital 

ax 1% times the standard errors shown in this table] 

Nmber of

charges

(base of 

percent in

millions of 

dollars) 

5 ------------

51;-- - 100 --------- - 500 ---------- l,OOO-------

5,000--------

10,000-------

15,000-------

Estimated percent 

Standard error expressed in 

percentage points I-0.6 0.9 1:2

I 

Illustration of use of table III: Table 

3 shows that in 1968 7.4 percent of the $6,285,000;000 was, for pliaqnacy charges formale

patients from all hospitals. Linear interpolar tion between the values shown in table III will

yield an approximate standard error of 0.1 per- cent for an estimate of 7.4 percent with a base 

of $6,285,000,000. 

%I 2 = vxr2 + VyJ2 - 2TVxIVy' 

= (.033)' + (0.32)' - 1.64(.033x .032) 

= .001089 + -001024 - .001732 = .000381 

VRl =JcilmBi = .020 

uRr = R'x VRr= $73x -020 = $1.5 

Approximate standard errors of average charge per 

day can be calculated applying the same formula. 

Let R’ = Amount of charges 

Number of days of care 

_ -. 

whereAmount of charge = average daily charge x number of days of care 

the sample correlation coefficient -(r) which 

measures the closeness oftherelation between 

rhe estimated numbers of charges and the estimated number of days of care has beencomputed 

to be 0.99. 

39 
APPENDIX II 

DEFINITIONS OF CERTAIN TERMS USED IN THIS REPORT 

Terms Relating to Hospital Charges 

Charge. - A charge is that amount of money billed 

to a patient, relative, or third-party insurance payor 

for an episode of hospitalization. The amount does not 

reflect the hospital cost in providing care nor does it 

reflect what amount of money was actually collected 

for an episode of hospitalization. 

Room and care.- The room and care charge includes charges for room, food, nursing service, nursery, baby formula, and intensive care. Also included 

is the total charge for a hospital with a fixed rate. 

Laboratory.-The laboratory charge includes blood 

counts, serology, pathology, tissue examination, basal 

metabolism rate, electrocardiogram, electroencephalogram, and the like. 

Pharmacy.--The pharmacy charge includes items 

charged to drugs or pharmacy. 

Radiology.-The radiology charge includes items 

charged to diagnostic and therapeutic radiation, e.g., 

X-ray, cobalt, radium, and isotopes. 

Operat&g and/or recovery room.- Use of the operating and/or recovery room is covered by this term. 

Professional swvices.- Professional services include charges for such items as staff physician, anesthetist, radiologist, and pathologist. Excluded are 

charges from outside sources, such as a surgeon’s fee 

billed directly from his private office to the patient. 

All other ..se-rvices.- The other services are those 

items which are not assigned to previous categories, 

such as blood, oxygen, medical and surgical supplies, 

physical therapy, emergency room, and personal 

charges. 

Fixed-rate hospitals.- A hospital with a fixed rate 

has one all-inclusive charge per patient day of stay. 

There is no breakdown between room and care and 

other services. 

Average 

per episode 

total number 

Average 

/ per day is 

total number 

&a?-ge per episode.--The average charge 

is the total amount of money divided by the 

of discharges. 

chauge pey &Y.-The average charge 

the total amount of money divided by the 

of inpatient days. 

Terms Relating to Hospitalization 

Patient. -A patient is any person formally admitted to the inpatient service of a short-stay hospital for 

observation; care, diagnosis, or treatment. In this report the number of patients refers to thenumber of discharges during each year 1968-1970, includingmultiple 

discharges of the same individual (if any), from one 

short-stay hospital or more. All newborn infants, defined as those admitted-by birth to the hospital, and all 

females who delivered are excluded from this report. 

Also excluded are those patients who had no charges 

recorded for their hospital stay. “Inpati&C” and “patient” are used synonymously. 

Discharge.-The formal release of a patient by a 

hospital, that is, the termination of a period of hospitalization by death or by disposition to place of residenc’e, 

nursing home, or another hospital is considered a discharge. In this report “discharges*’ and “patients discharged” are used synonymously. 

Days of care.- Days of care-are the total number 

of inpatient days accumulated at time of discharge by -. patients discharged -from ‘shor?%~a~h%&is during 

each year 1968-1970. A stay of less than 1 day (inpatient admission &nd discharge on the same day) is 

counted as 1 day in the summation of total days of care. 

For patients admitted and discharged on different days, 

the number of days of care is computed by counting all 

days from (and including) the date of admission to (but 

not including) the-. date of discharge. 

Average length of stay.-The average length of stay 

is the total number of inpatient days accumulated at 

time of discharge bjr patients discharged during each 

year 1968-1970 divided by the number of patients discharged during each year. 

,Te.rms Relating to Hospitals and 

Hospital Characteristics 

Short-stay hospitals .-.Short-stay hospitals are 

general and short-term special hospitals having six 

beds or more for inpatient use and an averCge (mean) 

lepgth of stay of less than 30 days. Federal hospitals, 

I 

’ 

I 

’ 

40 
------ 

- - 

and hospital units of institutions are not included. 

“Hospitals” and “short-stay hospitals” are used synonymously. 

Size of hospital.- The bed size of the hospital is 

measured by the number of beds, cribs, and pediatric 

bassinets regularly maintained (set up and staffed for 

use) for inpatients; bassinets for newborn infants are 

not included. In this report the classification of hospitals by bed size is based on the number of beds at 

or near midyear reported by the hospitals. 

Demographic Terms 

Age. -The age recorded is the age at last birthday 

prior to admission to the hospital inpatient service. 

Geogmfihic region. - In this report hospitals are 

classified by location according to the four geographic 

regions of the United States which correspond to those 

used by the U.S. Bureau of the Census. 

-000 

Region 

Northeast 

North CentralSouth _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 

West _ __ _ __ ___ _ 

Sfntes Included 

Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, 

Massachusetts, Rhode Island, 

Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, 

and Pennsylvania 

Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, 

Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, 

Missouri, North Dakota, South 

Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas 

Delaware, Maryland, District of 

Columbia, Virginia, West Virginia, 

North Carolina, South Carolina, 

Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, 

Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, 

Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and 

Texas 

Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, 

New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, 

Washington, Oregon, California, 

Hawaii, and Alaska 

41 
VITAL AND HEALTH STATISTICS PUBLICATION SERIES 

Originally Public Health Service Publication NO. 1000 

Seriss 1. Programs and collection procedures. -Reports which describe the general programs of the National 

Center for Health Statistics and its offices gnddivisions, data collection methods used, definitions, 

and other material necessary for understanding the data. 

Series 2. Data evaluation and methods research.- Studies of new statistical methodology including: experimental tests of new survey methods, studies of vital statistics collection methods, new analytical 

techniques, objective evaluations of reliability of collecteddata, contributions to stadsdcal theory. 

Series 3. Analvtical studies.-Reports presenting analytical or interpretive studies basedon vital and health 

statistics, carrying the analysis further than the expository types of reports in the other series. 

Series 4. Documents and committee reports.- Final reports of major committees concerned with vital and 

health statistics, and documents such as recommended model vital registration laws and revised 

birth and death certificates. 

Series 10. Dataporn the Health Interview Swvev.- Stadsdcs on illness, accidental injuries, disability, use 

of hospital, medical, dental, and other services, and other health-related topics, based on data 

collected in a condnuing national household interview survey. 

Series Il. Data from the Health Examination Survey. --Data from direct examination, testing, and measurement of national samples of the civilian, noninstitutional population provide the basis for two types 

of reports: (1) estimates of the medically defined prevalence of specific diseases in the United 

States and the distributions of the population with respect to physical, physiological, and psychological characteristics; and (2) analysis of relationships among the various measurements without 

reference to an explicit finite universe of persons. 

Series 12. Data from the Institutional Population Surveys. -Statistics relating to the health characteristics of 

persons in insdtudons, and their medical, nursing, and personal care received, based on national 

samples of establishments providing these services and samples of the residents or patients. 

Series 13. Data f+-om the Hospital Discharge Survey. -Statistics relating to discharged patients in short-stay 

hospitals, based on a sample of patient records in a national sample of hospitals. 

Series 14. Data on health resources: manpower and facilities. -Statistics on the numbers, geographic distribudon, and characteristics of health resources including physicians,dendsts, nurses, other health 

occupations, hospitals, nursing homes, and outpatient facilides. 

Series 20. Data on mortality. -Various statistics on mortality other than as included in regular annual or 

monthly reports-special analyses by cause of death, age, and other demographic variables, also 

geographic and time series analyses. 

Series 21. Data on natality, mawiage, and diwwce.-Various statisdcs on natality, marriage, and divorce 

other than as included in regular annual or monthly reports-special analyses by demographic 

variables, also geographic and time series analyses, studies of fertility. 

Series 22. Data from the National Natulity and Mortality Surveys.- Statistics on characteristics of births 

and deaths not available from the vital records, based on sample surveys stemming from these 

records, including such topics as mortality by socioeconomic class, hospital experience in the 

last year of life, medical care during pregnancy, health insurance coverage, etc. 

For a list of titles of reports published in these series, write to: Office of Information 

National Center for Health Statistics 

Public Health Service, HRA 

Rockville, Md. 20852