A Relationship of Care Time with Functional Status and Patients Characteristics among Patients in Long-term Care Hospitals.

Objectives : The aim of this study was to investigate the functional status variables related to the care time of health professionals for patients in long-term care facilities. Methods : The functional stati of 1001 patients in 8 long-term care hospitals were examined by the Resident Assessment Instrument for Long-term Care Facility Version 2.0. The care time of health professionals for patients was calculated using data from a self-reported task survey by nurses, auxiliary nurses, private aides, doctors, physiotherapists and social workers. Results : The average care time per diem was 240.6 minutes. The care time by doctors, nurses and private aides were 11.0, 71.0 and 139.5 minutes, respectively. The lower the function of activities of daily living (ADL) and the greater the symptoms of extensive services, special care and clinical complexity, the more care time was served. On the contrary, the greater the symptoms of nursing rehabilitation, depression, cognitive disorder, behavior problem and psychiatry/mood disorder, the less care time was served. Age and gender were not significantly related to the care time. Conclusions : Developing a case mix classification system for elderly long term care patients may be helpful for both of patients and health care providers. The ADL, extensive services, special care and clinical complexity of variables should be considered in the development of a case mix system for the long term care of patients in Korea.