title: Identification of factors contributing to increased length of stay in two diagnosis related groups.
abstract: This paper discusses a study conducted to identify factors that contributed to increased length of stay for two diagnosis related groups (DRGs) and their consequential impact on nursing salaries. The study shows that three separate clusters of cost drivers (DRG-related, nurse-related, and patient-related) contributed to increased length of stay for DRG 177 (chronic obstructive airways disease) and DRG 367 (cholecystectomy without exploration of the common bile duct). It was not possible to establish a link between length of stay and nursing salaries due to lack of relevant data. The results of the study can be used to raise professional awareness to the difficulties encountered by nurse managers in controlling length of stay when there are substantial numbers of different DRGs in acute care wards. The results can also be used as a basis for conducting larger studies into DRGs with higher than expected lengths of stay.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Services Operations Management, Monash University.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gardner
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Heslop
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lowe
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Habner
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Athan
mesh_terms: D002763:Cholecystectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000145:classification / Q000191:economics; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D019091:Critical Pathways; D003625:Data Collection; D003953:Diagnosis-Related Groups / Q000145:classification* / Q000191:economics; D006302:Health Services Research; D017721:Hospital Costs; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics*; D009013:Morale; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000191:economics* / Q000523:psychology; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications / Q000191:economics; D012456:Salaries and Fringe Benefits; D014739:Victoria