title: Reducing surgical length of stay: quantifying the impact.
abstract: Length-of-stay (LOS) reduction is a strategy encouraged at all levels of health care to manage within a resource limited environment. However, few organizations have attempted to quantitatively understand the impact of reducing LOS. This study examines the relationship between reducing LOS and cost through a retrospective, medical records analysis of three surgical procedures (appendectomy, cholecystectomy and caesarean section) at an Ontario community hospital Department of Surgery. Hypotheses are presented and a methodology is described. The results are discussed with a focus on the factors that hospitals, administrators and physicians might consider in a LOS reduction program.
authors.affiliation: St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Louie
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guy
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quinn
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reid
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001062:Appendectomy / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002763:Cholecystectomy / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017046:Cost Savings / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research; D017721:Hospital Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006764:Hospitals, Community / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D009864:Ontario; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013503:Surgery Department, Hospital / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data