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(Stroke. 2005;36:1519.)
© 2005 American Heart Association, Inc.

Original Contributions

Length of Stay, Discharge Destination, and Functional Improvement

Utility of the Australian National Subacute and Nonacute Patient Casemix Classification

Leigh Tooth, PhD; Kryss McKenna, PhD; Kong Goh, FAFRM(RACP) Paul Varghese, FRACP

From the Division of Occupational Therapy (K.M.), School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland; the Clinical Director (K.G.), Rehabilitation Medicine Gold Coast Hospital, Southport, Queensland; the Director of Geriatric Medicine (P.V.), Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woolloongabba, Brisbane, Queensland; and the School of Population Health (L.T.), University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Correspondence to Leigh Tooth, Public Health Building, Mayne Medical School, Herston Rd, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. E-mail L.Tooth{at}sph.uq.edu.au

Background and Purpose— 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.

Key Words: rehabilitation • stroke outcome

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