SUMMARY The aim of this study was to determine whether the Barthel Index (BI) or Folstein's Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE) could distinguish between patients who might continue at home with domiciliary care and those requiring institutional long‐term care. The results of the BI and the MMSE were compared with decisions made by an expert multidisciplinary team, including geriatricians. A Barthel score of 15 or less had a sensitivity of 90%, a specificity of 83% and a predictive value of 84% for determining those patients requiring nursing home placement. The BI proved to be a simple, accurate and reliable indicator of patients requiring nursing home care. The MMSE was of no predictive value in distinguishing the patients' discharge destinations.
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