title: Healthcare resource use in patients of the Australian Transition Care Program.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to describe, from the perspective of the healthcare funder, the cost components of the Australian Transition Care Program (TCP) and the healthcare resource use and costs for a group of transition care clients over a 6-month period following admission to the program.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective cohort observational study of 351 consenting patients entering community-based transition care at six sites in two states in Australia from November 2009 to September 2010 was performed. Patients were followed up 6 months after admission to the TCP to ascertain current living status and hospital re-admissions over the follow-up period. Cost data were collected by transition care teams and from administrative data (hospital and Medicare records).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The TCP provides a range of services with most costs attributed to provision of personal care support, case management, physiotherapy and occupational therapy. Most healthcare costs up to 6 months after transition care admission were incurred from the hospital admission leading to transition care and from re-admissions. Orthopaedic conditions incurred the highest costs, with many of these for elective procedures and others resulting from falls. Hospital re-admission rates in the present study were 10% lower than in a previous evaluation ofthe TCP. Over 6 months, approximately 40% of patients in the study were re-admitted to hospital at an average cost of A$7038.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the cost of the TCP is relatively high, it may have some impact on reducing hospital re-admissions and preventing or delaying residential care admissions.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Applied Health Economics, School of Medicine, Griffith University, University Drive, Meadowbrook, Qld 4105, Australia. Email.
authors.forename: Tracy A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Comans
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research in Geriatric Medicine, The University of Queensland, Level 2, Building 33, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Ipswich Road, Woolloongabba, Qld 4102, Australia. Email:.
authors.forename: Nancye M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Peel
authors.affiliation: John Walsh Centre for Rehabilitation Research, Sydney Medical School Northern, University of Sydney, Kolling Institute, Royal North Shore Hospital, Reserve Road, St Leonards, NSW 2065, Australia. Email.
authors.forename: Ian D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Cameron
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research in Geriatric Medicine, The University of Queensland, Level 2, Building 33, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Ipswich Road, Woolloongabba, Qld 4102, Australia. Email:.
authors.forename: Leonard
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.affiliation: Centre for Applied Health Economics, School of Medicine, Griffith University, University Drive, Meadowbrook, Qld 4105, Australia. Email.
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Scuffham
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia; D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research; D017721:Hospital Costs; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000191:economics*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D000069341:Transitional Care / Q000191:economics*