People admitted to hospital with physical disability have increased length of stay: implications for diagnosis related group re-imbursement in England

Abstract

these patients, presenting with conditions common in older patients, would have incurred estimated annual costs of pound 1.9 million in excess of their HRG tariff-based re-imbursement. Physical function, defined by the degree of dependency in activities of daily living, should be incorporated into HRGs to reduce the financial risk faced by acute hospital services under Payment by Results, the UK diagnosis related group re-imbursement system.