Skip to main content
Log in

National health care surveys and health care management

Examples from the national center for health statistics

  • Articles
  • Published:
Journal of Medical Systems Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The bulk of medical care in the United States is provided in hospitals, physicians' offices, and nursing homes. The National Center for Health Statistics conducts three health record surveys that collect information on patient and provider characteristics and the services provided in these three settings. This paper describes each of these three surveys in terms of background (scope and data set), design, collection, processing procedures, and data dissemination. In addition, specific examples of how the survey data have been or can be used for management purposes in terms of monitoring, evaluating, and planning the utilization of health care in the United States are given.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Schneider, D., Appleton, L., and McLemore, T., National Center for Health Statistics: A reason for visit classification for ambulatory care.Vital and Health Statistics Series 2-No. 78, DHEW Pub. No. (PHS) 79-1352. Public Health Service. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., February 1979.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Koch, H., and Campbell, W. E., National Center for Health Statistics: The collection and processing of drug information, National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, United States, 1980.Vital and Health Statistics, Series 2. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., in press.

  3. JRB Associates: Report on alternative sources for producing national statistics on hospital utilization. Final report for OASH Contract No. 233-81-2057, April 1983.

  4. Bunker, J. P., Surgical manpower: A comparison of operations and surgeons in the United States and in England and Wales.N. Engl. J. Med. 282:135–144, 1970; McCarthy, E. G., and Finkel, M. L., Surgical utilization in the U.S.A.Med. Care 18:883–891, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Petitti, D., Olson, R. O., and Williams, R. L., Caesarian section in California—1960 through 1975.Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 133:391–397, 1979; Placek, P. J., and Taffel, S. M., Trends in Caesarian section rates for the United States, 1970–78.Pub. Health Rep. 95:540–548, 1980; Marieskind, H. I., An evaluation of Caesarian section in the United States. Report to the Office of the Secretary, Department of Health, Education and Welfare, June 1979; Williams, R. L., and Hawes, W. E., Caesarian section, fetal monitoring, and perinatal mortality in California.Am. J. Pub. Health 69:864–870, 1979.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Hearings before Senate Subcommittee on Health and Scientific Research of the Committee on Human Resources, 95th Congress, Examination of obstetrical practices such as the use of fetal monitors, the increasing rate of Caesarian sections, elective induction of labor, and the use of drugs in pregnancy and labor. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1978.

  7. Young, D., and Mahan, C., Unnecessary Caesarians: Ways to avoid them. International Childbirth Education Association, Minneapolis, 1980.

  8. National Institutes of Health: Caesarean Childbirth.Consumer Development Conference Summary, Vol. 3, No. 6, 1980.

  9. Detmer, D. E., and Tyson, T. J., Regional differences in surgical care based upon uniform physician and hospital discharge abstract data.Am. Surg. 184:166–169, 1978; Lewis, C. E., Variations in the incidence of surgery.N. Engl. J. Med. 281:880–884, 1969; Wennberg, J. E., and Gittelsohn, A. M., Small area variations in health care delivery.Science 182:1102–1108, 1973; Wennberg, J. E., and Gittelsohn, A. M., Health care delivery in Maine I: Patterns of use of common surgical procedures.J. Maine Med. Assoc. 66:123–130, 149, 1975.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Vermont surgery study, 1969–1971: On the incidence of tonsillectomy and other common types of surgery. Cooperative Health Information Center of Vermont, July 1974;CHICV Health Monograph Series, 1975–1979. Cooperative Healty Information Center of Vermont, January 1981.

  11. McNutt, D. R., GMENAC: Its manpower forecasting framework.Am. J. Pub. Health 71:1116–1124, 1981.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Projections of the population of the United States: 1977 to 2050.Current Pop. Rep., Series P-25, No. 704, July 1977 (Series II). U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census.

  13. Rice, D. P., and Feldman, J. J., Demographic changes and the health needs of the elderly. Annual meeting, Institute of Medicine. Washington, D.C., October 20, 1982.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Meiners, M. R., An economic analysis of the major determinants of nursing home costs in the United States.Soc. Sci. Med. 16:887–898, 1982.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Freeland, M. S., and Schendler, C. E., National health expenditures: short-term outlook and long-term projections.Health Care Fin. Rev. 2(Issue 3):97–138, 1981.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Edward Bacon, W., Mullner, R. National health care surveys and health care management. J Med Syst 7, 469–479 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00995178

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00995178

Keywords

Navigation