FOLLOW-UP SURVEY OF INPATIENTS WITH AIDS AND HIV-INFECTION - ECONOMIC-IMPACT ON HOSPITALS IN NORTH-CAROLINA

This study is a 2-year follow-up to a 1987-1988 survey of North Caroli na hospitals regarding hospital utilization by patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV ) infection. Almost 99% of the state's hospitals participated in the r esurvey for the fiscal year 1989-1990. The number of general hospitals treating these patients grew by 57%; HIV/AIDS inpatients increased by 189% from 540 to 1,561. Total general hospital charges for HIV/AIDS i npatients increased from $7,685,000 to $26,957,000, an increase of 251 %. Of these charges the amount that was uncompensated by insurance inc reased by 293% to $7,733,000. Fifteen large tertiary general hospitals treated 80% of the HIV/AIDS inpatients and accounted for $6,093,000 ( 79%) of the uncompensated charges related to these patients.