Changes in the status of hospitalized stroke patients since inception of the prospective payment system in 1983.

Objective: To describe epidemiologically the changes in acute-care delivery services for stroke victims since the inception of the 1983 prospective payment system (PPS).

Design: A cross-sectional comparison of 2 acute-care hospitalized samples of stroke patients before and after implementation of PPS.

Setting: Fifteen acute-care hospitals.