Utility of Length of Stay and Direct Cost in Evaluating for Disparities in Pediatric Inpatient Care on a General Medical/Surgical Ward

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Numerous studies have described disparities in healthcare utilization, diagnosis, management, and outcomes of pediatric medical and surgical conditions according to patient demographic factors. However, disparities in care may also depend on multiple local factors, and published trends may not apply to individual hospitals and patient populations. Additionally, methods for data collection and available metrics may vary substantially between health systems. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively assess our local tertiary care institution for disparities in outcomes among inpatients discharged …