Length of stay, discharge destination, and functional improvement: utility of the Australian National Subacute and Nonacute Patient Casemix Classification.
OBJECTIVE
Although implemented in 1998, no research has examined how well the Australian National Subacute and Nonacute Patient (AN-SNAP) Casemix Classification predicts length of stay (LOS), discharge destination, and functional improvement in public hospital stroke rehabilitation units in Australia.


METHODS
406 consecutive admissions to 3 stroke rehabilitation units in Queensland, Australia were studied. Sociodemographic, clinical, and functional data were collected. General linear modeling and logistic regression were used to assess the ability of AN-SNAP to predict outcomes.


RESULTS
AN-SNAP significantly predicted each outcome. There were clear relationships between the outcomes of longer LOS, poorer functional improvement and discharge into care, and the AN-SNAP classes that reflected poorer functional ability and older age. Other predictors included living situation, acute LOS, comorbidity, and stroke type.


CONCLUSIONS
AN-SNAP is a consistent predictor of LOS, functional change and discharge destination, and has utility in assisting clinicians to set rehabilitation goals and plan discharge.
Tooth
Leigh
L
School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. L.Tooth@sph.uq.edu.au
McKenna
Kryss
K
Goh
Kong
K
Varghese
Paul
P
D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia; D005260:Female; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010351:Patient Discharge; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012046:Rehabilitation; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012923:Social Class; D020521:Stroke / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome