[Appropriateness of hospitalization in a short stay unit of a teaching hospital. A controlled study].
OBJECTIVE
Our aim was to evaluate the rate and the reasons for inappropriate hospital use in a medical Short Stay Unit (SSU) in comparison with conventional hospitalization.


METHODS
The Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol was applied to 352 patients admitted in the SSU and to 203 patients admitted in a department of internal medicine (control group).


RESULTS
The rates of inappropriate hospital admissions (0.6% vs 3%; p = 0.023) and stays (6.9% vs 18.7%; p < 0.001) were significantly lower in the SSU with respect to the control group. Main causes of inappropriateness were also lower: conservative physician's attitude (9.4% vs 41.4%; p = 0.001), delay in diagnostic procedures (3.4% vs 11.3%; p < 0.001), and social and familiar factors (2.8% vs 9.4%; p = 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
A SSU is useful for the appropriateness of hospital use, due to its capacity to minimize the number and causes of inappropriate stays.
Villalta
Jaume
J
Servei de Medicina Interna. Hospital Clínic, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. VILLALTA@clinic.ub.es
Sisó
Antoni
A
Cereijo
Anna-Clara
AC
Sequeira
Ethel
E
De La Sierra
Alejandro
A
D006760:Hospitalization; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D012040:Regional Health Planning; D013030:Spain; D014600:Utilization Review