Analysis of the Children's Hospital Graduate Medical Education Program Fund Allocations for Indirect Medical Educational Costs

Summary

This study analyzed issues related to estimating indirect medical education costs specific to pediatric discharges. The Children's Hospital Graduate Medical Education (CHGNE) program was established to support graduate medical education in children's hospitals. This provision authorizes payments for both direct and indirect medical education costs, which must be estimated. The study used multivariate regression analysis to investigate the effect of residency training programs on pediatric costs per discharge using different measures of teaching intensity, including residents-to-beds and residents-to-average daily census. The study used coefficients from regressions to establish potential allocation formulas for indirect medical education funds that could be used by the CHGME program in lieu of the Medicare formula. An appendix contains a table of cost comparisons. (Contains 17 tables, 1 figure, and 23 references.) (SLD)