Data collection in consultation-liaison psychiatry: an evaluation of Casemix.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the usefulness of Casemix as a data collection system for consultation-liaison psychiatry services.


METHODS
Health information staff were requested to code psychiatric assessments and diagnosis prospectively for admissions to the Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, between July 2002 and June 2004 using Casemix.


RESULTS
Psychiatric assessments were requested on 2.5% of all hospital admissions (n = 2575). Casemix provided extensive demographic and hospital unit data for referred patients, is easy to set up, and is cost-free for the psychiatry service.


CONCLUSIONS
Casemix can provide extensive meaningful data for consultation-liaison psychiatry services that could assist in the argument for greater funding of these services.
Ellen
Steven
S
Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, The Alfred Hospital and Department of Psychological Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. s.ellen@alfred.org.au
Lacey
Cameron
C
Kouzma
Nadya
N
Sauvey
Nick
N
Carroll
Rhonda
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods; D003953:Diagnosis-Related Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005568:Forms and Records Control; D017721:Hospital Costs; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000145:classification* / Q000191:economics / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014739:Victoria