The determination of alternative hospital classifications.

The problem of determining alternative hospital classifications when explicit constraints are recognized in the classification process is discussed. It is argued that such constraints are an integral part of most hospital classification processes and should be handled directly. A methodology based on cluster analysis, which can directly accommodate any number of specific constraints that might be imposed on the classification process, is described. A number of these possible constraints are presented. To illustrate the process, the methodology is applied to a data set of 200 short-term general hospitals; empirical results are presented that demonstrate the potential effects of various constraints on the hospital classification process.