Figure 1
The research model.
DEA, data envelopment analysis; MMSE, Mini-Mental State Examination; HbA1c, glycated hemoglobin A1c; ADL, activities of daily living.
Figure 2The flow of sample selection in this study.
Table 1Characteristics of the long-term care hospitals (LTCHs) (n = 725)
Variable |
LTCH |
Regions with LTCHs |
Seoul |
63 (8.7) |
Gyeonggi |
154 (21.2) |
Incheon |
33 (4.6) |
Busan |
100 (13.8) |
Ulsan |
26 (3.6) |
Daegu |
30 (4.1) |
Gyeongnam |
53 (7.3) |
Gyeongbuk |
61 (8.4) |
Gwangju |
15 (2.1) |
Jeonnam |
33 (4.6) |
Jeonbuk |
42 (5.8) |
Daejeon |
35 (4.8) |
Chungnam |
35 (4.8) |
Chungbuk |
27 (3.7) |
Gangwon |
15 (2.1) |
Sejong |
3 (0.4) |
Number of beds of LTCHs |
≤ 100 |
181 (25.0) |
101 – 150 |
201 (27.7) |
151 – 200 |
182 (25.1) |
≥ 201 |
161 (22.2) |
Levels of quality of LTCHs |
1 |
100 (13.8) |
2 |
147 (20.3) |
3 |
205 (28.3) |
4 |
185 (25.5) |
5 |
88 (12.1) |
Table 2The input and output variables in the data envelopment analysis (n = 725)
Variable |
Data |
Input variable |
Facility |
The number of beds (n) |
160.46 ± 82.44 (30–584) |
The number of pieces of medical equipment per 100 patients beds (n) |
14.67 ± 10.95 (0.53–68.85) |
The rate of hospital rooms with bathrooms (%) |
41.01 ± 33.70 (0–100) |
The rate of installed amenities (%) |
2.09 ± 0.75 (0–3) |
The rate of patient- safety- and hygiene-related facilities (%) |
8.47 ± 1.56 (2–10) |
Human resource |
The number of patients per doctors (n) |
31.21 ± 4.96 (9.50–56.50) |
The number of patients per nursing staff (n) |
4.49 ± 0.65 (1.70–12.40) |
The rate of nursing staff turnover (%) |
24.89 ± 22.16 (0–177.50) |
The rate of average working days of medical aid personnel (%) |
60.26 ± 33.24 (0–100) |
Output variable |
Quality of care (process) |
The rate of patients given the MMSE (%) |
88.71 ± 21.19 (0–100) |
The rate of patients tested for HbA1c level (%) |
87.87 ± 22.10 (0–100) |
Quality of care (outcome) |
ADL limitations (%) |
93.50 ± 5.98 (64.50–100) |
Pressure ulcers (%) |
82.11 ± 14.93 (20.80–100) |
Urinary incontinence (%) |
99.42 ± 1.45 (66.67–100) |
Table 3Factors related to the quality-efficiency scores of the long-term care hospitals (n = 725)
Variable |
B |
SE |
p-value |
Facility |
The number of beds |
0.05 |
0.01 |
0.001 |
The number of pieces of medical equipment per 100 patients beds |
0.35 |
0.09 |
< 0.001 |
The rate of hospital rooms with bathrooms |
0.13 |
0.03 |
< 0.001 |
The rate of installed amenities |
2.12 |
1.40 |
0.130 |
The rate of patient safety- and hygiene-related facilities |
3.05 |
0.66 |
<.001 |
Human resource |
The number of patients per doctors |
−0.17 |
0.20 |
0.424 |
The number of patients per nursing staff |
−8.08 |
1.53 |
< 0.001 |
The rate of nursing staff turnover |
−0.17 |
0.05 |
< 0.001 |
The rate of average working days of medical aid personnel |
0.11 |
0.04 |
0.001 |