The importance of age and other variables in predicting paediatric patient flows in New South Wales.

This research focuses upon the relationship between a child's age and the likelihood that the child was treated at a Specialist Children's Hospital rather than at a local hospital. While it is generally regarded that younger patients are more resource intensive, a study was required to determine whether the Specialist Children's Hospitals attracted younger patients. The analysis is based on 42,363 children treated in Greater Metropolitan Sydney in 1996/97, and on separations classified (role delineated) as non-tertiary DRGs (defined as Level 4 activity). However, this activity is of varying degrees of severity. A number of variables were used to explain why a child was treated at either a local hospital or at a specialist children's hospital. This study clearly demonstrates that Specialist Children's Hospitals do attract younger and more severe patients.