Abstract
We examine the relationship between long-term care supply (care home beds and prices) and (i) the probability of being discharged to a care home and (ii) length of stay in hospital for patients admitted to hospital for hip fracture or stroke. Using patient level data from all English hospitals and allowing for a rich set of demographic and clinical factors, we find no association between discharge destination and long-term care beds supply or prices. We do, however, find evidence of bed blocking: hospital length of stay for hip fracture patients discharged to a care home is shorter in areas with more long-term care beds and lower prices. Length of stay is over 30% shorter in areas in the highest quintile of care home beds supply compared to those in the lowest quintile.
Highlights
The provision of health care and long-term care for the elderly is a consistent focus of policy makers in the U.K. and other OECD countries (Department of Health 2001, 2011; Glendinning 2003; OECD 2011; Wanless 2006)
Length of stay is shorter for patients returning to their home (20 days for hip fracture and 23 for stroke) than for those discharged to a care home (33 and 62 days)
We find that hip fracture patients who live in areas with higher care home beds supply are more likely to be discharged to a care home
Summary
The provision of health care and long-term care for the elderly is a consistent focus of policy makers in the U.K. and other OECD countries (Department of Health 2001, 2011; Glendinning 2003; OECD 2011; Wanless 2006). In England, acute hospital care and long-term care are organised and funded separately and differently. There is long standing concern over coordination for patients requiring health and longterm care, in particular the delayed discharge of patients from hospital (Baumann et al 2007; Bryan et al 2006; House of Commons 2003; National Audit Office 2000).To improve integration policy makers need information about the effects of provision of one type of care on the other. In this paper we examine two questions where there is little quantitative evidence: the extent to which accessibility of long-term care affects the length of stay in hospital and the probability of a patient being discharged back to their homes rather than to a care home
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: International Journal of Health Economics and Management
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
