Impact Of Asset Age/Fiscal Viability On Selected Measures Of Quality In Hospitals

Abstract

Seventy-three New York hospitals were examined to determine if a relationship between age of assets, fiscal viability and quality of care existed. These factors were examined for 2002 for each of the hospitals selected. Several financial variables were used to construct a fiscal viability index; and a quality index was created from selected mortality outcomes and procedural measures that may be used to measure specific aspects of institutional care. The premise that age of assets and fiscal viability will influence quality is gleaned from the Donabedian Model in which he proposed three domains important to the quality of health care. Utilizing both the financial and quality of care indices, the following statistical models were prepared: Effect of asset age on fiscal viability index, Effect of asset age on individual fiscal viability measures, and Effect of asset age and fiscal viability index on quality index