Length of stay benchmarking in the Australian private hospital sector.
Length of stay (LOS) benchmarking is a means of comparing hospital efficiency. Analysis of private cases in private facilities using Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) data shows interstate variation in same-day (SD) cases and overnight average LOS (ONALOS) on an Australian Refined Diagnosis Related Groups version 4 (ARDRGv4) standardised basis. ARDRGv4 standardised analysis from 1998-99 to 2003-04 shows a steady increase in private sector SD cases (approximately 1.4% per annum) and a decrease in ONALOS (approximately 4.3% per annum). Overall, the data show significant variation in LOS parameters between private hospitals.
Hanning
Brian W T
BW
Australian Health Service Alliance, 979 Burke Road, Camberwell, VIC 3124, Australia. Brian@ahsa.com.au
D001315:Australia; D019985:Benchmarking; D003953:Diagnosis-Related Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D016304:Hospitals, Private / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*