Reduction in length of hospital stay for acute childhood asthma associated with the introduction of casemix funding

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To examine changes to hospital admission rates, length of stay (LOS), bed use, and unplanned readmission rates for children with acute exacerbations of asthma following the change of the Victorian health care system to casemix funding. SETTING: Large university-affiliated children's hospital in Melbourne, Victoria. DESIGN: Prospective collection of data from July 1989 to June 1996 for all children admitted with acute asthma (n = 11939). RESULTS: The number of admissions for acute asthma showed a rising trend before the introduction of casemix funding in July 1993, and subsequently fell. There was a significant fall in mean LOS (64.5 to 39 hours; -40%; P = 0.001), and hence in bed-..