title: [Length of hospital stay due to DRG reimbursement].
abstract: The introduction of DRG systems causes a paradigm shift in consideration of length of hospital stay. A daily rate for a hospital bed is an inventive to lengthen hospital stay as long as possible. In a DRG system it would be lucrative to release a patient from hospital as soon as possible and tenable. If DRGs are calculated properly, based on a valid statistical analysis of average length of stay, hospital reimbursement will be ensured in the average of one year. Not cost-effective cases will be compensated with profitable patients. There is no economic need to release or transfer patients from hospital earlier than necessary or tenable. To have sufficient control over the economic situation in each individual patient it is necessary and recommended to build up a cost unit accounting.
authors.affiliation: fmCh - Verband chirurgisch und invasiv tätiger Ärztinnen und Ärzte der Schweiz, Biel. bartkowski-berlin@t-online.de
authors.forename: Rolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bartkowski
mesh_terms: D017046:Cost Savings; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003953:Diagnosis-Related Groups / Q000191:economics*; D018588:Fee-for-Service Plans / Q000191:economics*; D005858:Germany; D017722:Hospital Charges / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007349:Insurance, Health, Reimbursement; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics*; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000191:economics*; D010360:Patient Transfer / Q000191:economics; D013557:Switzerland