Patient classification and resource allocation in Veterans Administration nursing homes

Patient classification for Veterans Administration and non-Veterans Administration long-term care patients is discussed. Results are reported from 290 patients in two VA nursing homes by using both resource utilization groups and an independently generated classification system. Patient classes were generated by using the Automatic Interaction Detection Program, which was the methodology used to create the diagnosis related groups. The use of diagnoses in long-term care patient classification is also reviewed. The effect of disaggregated nursing times by type of provider and by type of nursing activity on patient classes is examined.