For more than 20 years, the Dartmouth Atlas Project has documented variations in how medical resources are distributed and used in the United States. The project uses Medicare and Medicaid data to provide information and compare effectiveness and efficiency of regional, and local markets, as well as individual hospitals and their affiliated physicians.
Recall from the lesson that Cost = Price x Quantity
The project allows comparing the quantity of care provided holding prices constant since the price variation is already accounted for [Medicare reimburses the same amount].
Visit the following website: http://archive.dartmouthatlas.org/data/hospital/
Write a short paper to compare any two hospitals [2-3 pages].
Answer the following questions based on Dartmouth Atlas data. Support your answers with evidence.
- Which hospital provides more intensive hospital care? [1 paragraph]
- Which hospital has a higher total reimbursement per patient during the last two years of life? [1 paragraph]
- What differenced do you observe in the use of inputs between the two hospitals? [1 paragraph]
- Are there any differences in outcomes, based on patient-experiences and post-acute care, between the two hospitals? [1-2 paragraphs]
- What conclusions can be drawn from the above information? [1-2 paragraphs]
