PMID- 21249633
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20160423
LR  - 20181201
IS  - 1661-8157 (Print)
IS  - 1661-8157 (Linking)
VI  - 100
IP  - 2
DP  - 2011 Jan 19
TI  - [Clinic-internal and -external factors of length of hospital stay].
PG  - 75-83
AB  - In the context of forthcoming initiation of Diagnosis Related Groups (DRG) in 
      Switzerland, the objective of the study was to find factors having an impact on 
      the inpatient's length of hospital stay. The study was performed on two 
      general-medical wards of the Kantonsspital Winterthur, where all admitted 
      patients were included in the study over two months. The various periods of 
      diagnostic and therapeutic management of the patients and all diagnostic and 
      therapeutic measures plus the arrangements after hospitalization were recorded. 
      The determinants influencing the length of hospital stay were classified in 
      clinic-internal or -external. 124 inpatients entered the study. 91 (73.4%) had a 
      length of hospital stay without delay, whereas 33 (26.6%) patients had an 
      extended length of hospital stay. The cumulative length of hospital stay of all 
      patients was 1314 days, whereof 216 days (16.4%) were caused by delays. 67 days 
      were caused by clinic-internal (5.1%) and 149 days by clinic-external factors 
      (11.3%). Delays were substantially more generated by clinic-internal than 
      -external factors. Clinic-internal factors were mainly weekends with interruption 
      of the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, dead times waiting for diagnostic 
      results and waiting times for consultations. Clinic-external factors were caused 
      by delayed transfer in nursing homes or rehabilitation institutions, waiting for 
      family members for the backhaul and by indetermination of the patient. Also 
      factors relating to the patients' characteristics had an influence on the length 
      of hospital stay. Summing up, a substantial part of the length of hospital stay 
      was caused by delays. However, the many different clinic-internal factors 
      complicate solutions to lower the length of hospital stay. Moreover, factors that 
      cannot be influenced such as waiting for microbiological results, contribute to 
      extended length of hospital stay. Early scheduling of post-hospital arrangements 
      may lower length of hospital stay. Moreover, when cantonal restriction falls away 
      in 2012, patients may be transferred to rehabilitation institutions more rapidly. 
      Also the insurance companies may possibly strengthen their organisation and thus 
      may meet the costs more quickly.
FAU - Schariatzadeh, R
AU  - Schariatzadeh R
AD  - Medizinische Klinik, Kantonsspital Winterthur.
FAU - Imoberdorf, R
AU  - Imoberdorf R
FAU - Ballmer, P E
AU  - Ballmer PE
LA  - ger
PT  - Journal Article
TT  - Klinikinterne und -externe Determinanten der Spitalaufenthaltsdauer.
PL  - Switzerland
TA  - Praxis (Bern 1994)
JT  - Praxis
JID - 101468093
SB  - IM
MH  - Ambulatory Care Facilities
MH  - Diagnosis-Related Groups
MH  - *Hospitalization
MH  - Humans
MH  - *Length of Stay
MH  - Nursing Homes
EDAT- 2011/01/21 06:00
MHDA- 2016/04/24 06:00
CRDT- 2011/01/21 06:00
PHST- 2011/01/21 06:00 [entrez]
PHST- 2011/01/21 06:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2016/04/24 06:00 [medline]
AID - 10.1024/1661-8157/a000410 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Praxis (Bern 1994). 2011 Jan 19;100(2):75-83. doi: 10.1024/1661-8157/a000410.