Acute hospital-based services utilisation during the last year of life in New South Wales, Australia: methods for a population-based study.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

The aim of this study is to describe healthcare utilisation in the last year of life for people in Australia, to help inform health services planning. The methods and datasets that are being used are described in this paper.

Design/setting

Linked, routinely collected administrative health data are being analysed for all people who died in New South Wales (NSW), Australia's most populous state, in 2007. The data comprised linked death records (2007), hospital admissions and emergency department presentations (2006-2007) and cancer registrations (1994-2007).

Participants

There were 46 341 deaths in NSW in 2007. The initial analyses include 45 760 decedents aged 18 years and over.

Outcome measures

The primary measures address the utilisation of hospital

SUBMITTER: O'Connell DL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3975743 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature