International journal of technology assessment in health care
-
Int J Technol Assess Health Care · Jan 1996
Multicenter StudyPredicting nursing home length of stay and outcome with a resource-based classification system.
The anticipated demographic changes with an increasing number of elderly force us to plan and use health care resources more efficiently. In this study we have used the components of a case-mix measure for nursing homes; the Resource Utilization Groups (RUG-II), to predict length of stay (LOS) and outcome in geriatric institutions. We have shown that the RUG categories and an activities of daily living (ADL) index differ significantly in both respects, but that other variables might be of more clinical value when establishing a prospective payment system, based on LOS in geriatric institutions.
-
Int J Technol Assess Health Care · Jan 1996
ReviewInfluences on the quality of published drug studies.
To practice evidence-based medicine, physicians need data on the clinical effectiveness, toxicity, convenience, and cost of new drugs compared with available alternatives. We give examples of published drug studies that are defective, sometimes because pharmaceutical industry funding has affected their content and quality. We make recommendations on how to avoid these defects.