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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences
Uncompensated Care Cost: A Pilot Study Using Hospitals In A Texas County, Alberto Coustasse, Andrea L. Lorden, Vishal Nemarugommula, Karan P. Singh
Uncompensated Care Cost: A Pilot Study Using Hospitals In A Texas County, Alberto Coustasse, Andrea L. Lorden, Vishal Nemarugommula, Karan P. Singh
Management Faculty Research
The financial ramifications of uncompensated care cost (UCC) on the healthcare industry have been difficult to quantify. With the lack of a standardized definition of uncompensated care and the need to account for the uninsured, indigent, and immigrant populations, the authors identified $190 million of UCC from Southwestern border hospitals for emergency room treatment of undocumented immigrants and $934 million of uncompensated care charges for 23 hospitals in a Texas county, which translated to $353 million of UCC. Although lawmakers passed the Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act (2003) to address the growing imbalance, the shortfall of funds highlights …
Kawasaki Syndrome In Texas, Alberto Coustasse, Julius J. Larry, Witold Migala, Cody Arvidson, Karan P. Singh
Kawasaki Syndrome In Texas, Alberto Coustasse, Julius J. Larry, Witold Migala, Cody Arvidson, Karan P. Singh
Management Faculty Research
The authors examined hospitalization rates of Kawasaki Syndrome (KS) among Texas children to isolate clusters, identify demographic disparities, and suggest possible causative factors. Using a retrospective cross-sectional study design, they studied 330 KS cases from 2,818,460 hospital discharges. The majority of the cases (61.5%) occurred within the 1-4-years-old category, representing the highest hospitalization rate (14.3 per 100,000 children). Almost 75% of the KS population was less than 5 years old, with hospitalization rates approximately 8 times higher than that of all other children (p < .05). KS diagnosis occurred for only 49.4% of all KS cases upon admission. Along with high-density clusters identified in major metropolitan areas, the authors found the highest rates of KS among Asian and Pacific Islander and non-Hispanic black children. Genetic predispositions and access to healthcare issues may explain the results. The authors recommend improving educational initiatives with healthcare providers and establishing KS as a reportable condition.