Hospital performance in a segmented and unequal health system: Chile 2001-2010

Abstract

To analyze the differences in health outcomes by hospital characteristics, focusing on ownership: public, private not-for-profit (PNFP) and private for-profit (PFP). We used a discharged patient dataset of Chilean hospitals for the period 2001-2010 with a total of 16 205 314 discharges in 20 public, six PNFP and 15 PFP hospitals.We selected a subsample of two medical conditions: myocardial infarction and stroke.We used probit regression analyses with mortality rates as dependent variable, ownership status as the key explanatory variable, and control variables which included patients' health status and socioeconomic level, and hospital characteristics. Private hospitals showed lower risk of death relative to public hospitals: 1.3% in PNFP, 0.7% in PFP and 3.5% in public hospitals. The analysis shows the inequities that exist between public hospitals and the private sector.