title: [Appropriateness of hospitalization in a short stay unit of a teaching hospital. A controlled study].
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Servei de Medicina Interna. Hospital Clínic, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. VILLALTA@clinic.ub.es
authors.forename: Jaume
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Villalta
authors.forename: Antoni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sisó
authors.forename: Anna-Clara
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Cereijo
authors.forename: Ethel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sequeira
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De La Sierra
mesh_terms: D006760:Hospitalization; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D012040:Regional Health Planning; D013030:Spain; D014600:Utilization Review