Which hospital admissions are appropriate?

The Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol (AEP) is a criterion audit tool used extensively in the USA to assess the appropriateness of admission to hospitals. This study evaluated the utility of the AEP in an Australian teaching hospital, and recommends minor modifications to the criteria to improve the efficiency of the audit process. Six per cent of admissions in the sample were inappropriate according to the AEP criteria. These cases could have been managed in an alternate facility providing a lower level of care, or care provided on an outpatient or day-patient basis. The additional cost of the inappropriate admissions to an acute hospital is estimated at $A1750 per case.