Association of socioeconomic status and hospital efficiency in Type-1 diabetic patients with ketoacidosis or diabetic coma: a secondary data analysis comparing nation-wide paediatric and adult admissions in France.

AIMS: To study the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and hospital efficiency in Type 1 diabetes mellitus patients admitted for ketoacidosis or diabetic coma in mainland France, overall and in adults versus children.

METHODS

An observational study was carried out using exhaustive national hospital discharge databases. It included all admissions discharged from 2013 to 2019. SES was assessed using an ecological measure divided into national quintiles, and efficiency by variations in patients' length of stay (LOS) compared to mean national LOS and a comparison of production costs and revenues. Multilevel multivariable analyses were carried out to study the association.

RESULTS

67,100 admissions were included. Multivariable analyses found a significant association between efficiency outcomes, SES and age. Compared to other age groups, children under 5 had higher LOS than the national mean and incurred higher costs than what hospitals were paid regardless of SES. In adults, there was a significant interaction between SES and age group, leading to significantly increased LOS and costs in adults from intermediate and/or lower SES groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Current payment methods using diagnosis-related groups may not adequately reflect the burden of Type 1 diabetes mellitus patients admitted for ketoacidosis or diabetic coma on hospitals.