Length of stay (LOS) refers to the total number of days a patient spends in a hospital or healthcare facility from the time of admission to discharge. Length of stay (LOS) can be determined across an entire hospital or within specific treatment categories, such as for heart attacks (acute myocardial infarctions) and diabetes.
Patient days and length of stay are related but distinct concepts in healthcare measuring different metrics within a hospital. Patient days represent the total number of days all patients have spent in the hospital within a specific timeframe, while length of stay focuses on the duration of stay for an individual patient from admission to discharge.
Several factors can contribute to a patient’s length of stay, including the severity of the illness or injury (patient acuity or case mix), the type of medical procedure performed, the patient’s age and overall health, the presence of any complications or co-existing conditions (comorbidities), the hospital’s quality of care, and the levels of staff available, among other factors.
Long lengths of stay can pose several risks, including increased exposure to hospital-acquired infections (HAIs), higher healthcare costs for both the patient and the facility, and potential negative impacts on mental health due to prolonged hospitalization. Additionally, it can lead to reduced hospital capacity, affecting the facility’s ability to admit new patients.
The length of stay is a crucial metric in healthcare because it helps in assessing the efficiency of hospital management, quality of care, and resource utilization. A shorter LOS can indicate efficient care and hospital operations, potentially leading to reduced healthcare costs and improved patient outcomes, whereas a longer LOS may highlight areas needing improvement or more complex patient care needs.
At the same time, the duration of a patient’s stay has a direct impact on a hospital’s finances; the longer a patient is hospitalized, the more the facility incurs in treatment costs. To lower the cost associated with each discharge, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) provides financial incentives aimed at shortening the length of patient stays for each episode of care.