Table 4

Association of attainment of 6-month clinical performance targets with hospital payments

Target

Average Cost per Follow-up Year

Crude*

Unadjusted

Multivariate Adjusted**

Individual Targets

Albumin ≥4.0 g/dl (N = 470)

Target not attained

$14,252

$14,333

$9,838

Target attained

$9,406

$9,259

$6,556

P

0.001

0.001

0.002

Ca-P Product <55 mg²/dl² (N = 469)

Target not attained

$13,325

$13,086

$11,586

Target attained

$12,469

$12,608

$11,549

P

0.553

0.747

0.978

Hemoglobin ≥11 g/dl (N = 466)

Target not attained

$13,163

$12,833

$8,511

Target attained

$12,456

$12,659

$8,125

P

0.621

0.906

0.691

Dialysis Dose, Kt/V≥1.2 (N = 390)

Target not attained

$13,774

$14,589

$9,126

Target attained

$12,290

$12,160

$8,155

P

0.495

0.300

0.553

Access Type, fistula (N = 308)

Target not attained

$13,148

$13,384

$13,923

Target attained

$10,111

$9,538

$9,936

P

0.109

0.044

0.052

Albumin, Ca-P, and Hemoglobin Targets (N = 465)

0 targets attained

$15,535

$15,534

$7,877

1 target attained

$13,980

$13,815

$7,388

2 targets attained

$11,439

$11,228

$5,870

3 targets attained

$10,461

$11,596

$6,235

P for trend

0.007

0.060

0.088

All Five Targets (N = 248)

0–1 targets attained

$12,453

$13,285

$3,165

2 targets attained

$15,366

$14,919

$3,670

3 targets attained

$10,389

$10,446

$2,645

4–5 targets attained

$8,654

$8,624

$2,138

P for trend

0.029

0.029

0.052

Mean follow-up was 2.8 years (median, 2.7 years). Statistically significant values are in boldface type. Cost per year was log-transformed; averages of log-transformed cost were calculated (either crudely or using linear regression models), and the averages were exponentiated to reflect dollar values.

*P by t test (individual targets) or nonparametric trend test (multiple targets).

**Adjusted for first value of target(s) indicated, age, race, index of co-existent disease, and albumin.

Plantinga et al. BMC Health Services Research 2007 7:5   doi:10.1186/1472-6963-7-5