ABSTRACT
Casemix grouping is the grouping together of similar conditions or interventions for various analytical purposes, and so the work of developing casemix groups depends upon achieving an appropriate compromise between the level of specificity and their purpose. Classification is the same process as grouping, and vice versa. Groupings and classifications may be multi-axial , and they may also have several levels of aggregation. Purpose of the groupings or classifications is to enable comparisons and predictions, and the precision of the grouping required depends upon the purpose of the comparison. Different conditions of course, require different interventions, and as a general rule the condition/intervention relationship encompasses all conditions and health service activities. If casemix groups are used to identify types of patients and types of activity, then whether the activity provided is appropriate for that condition can be established. Intervention groups are of more interest to providers since they can describe the cost of delivering a particular intervention.
