Abstract
This paper presents multilevel models that utilize the Coxian phase-type distribution in order to be able to include a survival component in the model. The approach is demonstrated by modeling patient length of stay and in-hospital mortality in geriatric wards in Italy. The multilevel model is used to provide a means of controlling for the existence of possible intra-ward correlations, which may make patients within a hospital more alike in terms of experienced outcome than patients coming from different hospitals, everything else being equal. Within this multilevel model we introduce the use of the Coxian phase-type distribution to create a covariate that represents patient length of stay or stage (of hospital care). Results demonstrate that the use of the multilevel model for representing the in-patient mortality is successful and further enhanced by the inclusion of the Coxian phase-type distribution variable (stage covariate).
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1819-1830 |
Number of pages | 12 |
Journal | Communications in Statistics: Theory and Methods |
Volume | 45 |
Issue number | 6 |
Early online date | 09 Nov 2015 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 01 Apr 2016 |