title: [The length of pre- and postoperative surgical stays. The role of factors relative to the patient, to the type of intervention and to hospital services].
abstract: The one-year most important and frequent surgical procedures performed in eight surgical departments of a large Italian general hospital were studied in order to describe the determinants of pre-, postoperative and total length of stay. The average length of stay (ALS) for the 724 hospitalized cases was 18.1 days (7.9 preoperative and 10.2 postoperative), with large variations in the preoperative ALS across the departments. Multiple regression analysis showed that total ALS was positively associated with age, type of surgical procedure and department of admission. Preoperative ALS was longer in intervention on colon (12 days) and stomach (11 days) than in saphenectomies (8 days) and in appendectomies (4 days). The degree of access to operating rooms was associated to preoperative ALS, while the type of intervention and age to postoperative ALS. ALS was reduced by the urgency of the case, the availability of diagnostic facilities in the department of admission and the patient's condition of student. Hospital's structure and organization need to be modified in order to reduce preoperative length of stay. The easier access of older patients to long-stay hospitals or home care would reduce postoperative length of stay.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio Epidemiologico, IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore, Milano.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Allevi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cristina
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nicolosi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Taioli
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Rizzardi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Polli
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D006769:Hospitals, General / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012737:Sex Factors; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013997:Time Factors
vernacular_title: Durata delle degenze chirurgiche pre e postoperatorie. Ruolo dei fattori relativi al paziente, al tipo di intervento e ai servizi ospedalieri.