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BMC Health Services Research
Published in: BMC Health Services Research 1/2010

Open Access 01-12-2010 | Research article

The relationship between staff skill mix, costs and outcomes in intermediate care services

Authors: Simon Dixon, Billingsley Kaambwa, Susan Nancarrow, Graham P Martin, Stirling Bryan

Published in: BMC Health Services Research | Issue 1/2010

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Abstract

Background

The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between skill mix, patient outcomes, length of stay and service costs in older peoples' intermediate care services in England.

Methods

We undertook multivariate analysis of data collected as part of the National Evaluation of Intermediate Care Services. Data were analysed on between 337 and 403 older people admitted to 14 different intermediate care teams. Independent variables were the numbers of different types of staff within a team and the ratio of support staff to professionally qualified staff within teams. Outcome measures include the Barthel index, EQ-5D, length of service provision and costs of care.

Results

Increased skill mix (raising the number of different types of staff by one) is associated with a 17% reduction in service costs (p = 0.011). There is weak evidence (p = 0.090) that a higher ratio of support staff to qualified staff leads to greater improvements in EQ-5D scores of patients.

Conclusions

This study provides limited evidence on the relationship between multidisciplinary skill mix and outcomes in intermediate care services.
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Metadata
Title
The relationship between staff skill mix, costs and outcomes in intermediate care services
Authors
Simon Dixon
Billingsley Kaambwa
Susan Nancarrow
Graham P Martin
Stirling Bryan
Publication date
01-12-2010
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Health Services Research / Issue 1/2010
Electronic ISSN: 1472-6963
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6963-10-221

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