The impact of emergency department length of stay on the outcomes of trauma patients requiring hospitalization: a retrospective observational study

BACKGROUND: We aimed to explore the impact of the emergency department length of stay(EDLOS) on the outcome of trauma patients.METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on all trauma patients requiring hospitalization between 2015 and 2019. Patients were categorized into 4 groups based on the EDLOS(<4 h, 4–12 h,12–24 h, and >24 h). Data were analyzed using Chi-square test(categorical variables), Student’s t-test(continuous variables), correlation coefficient, analysis of variance and multivariate logistic regression analysis for identifying predictors of short EDLOS and hospital mortality.RESULTS: The study involved 7,026 patients with a mean age of 32.1±15.6 years. Onefifth of patients had a short EDLOS(<4 h) and had higher level trauma team T1 activation(TTA-1), higher Injury Severity Score(ISS), higher shock index(SI), and more head injuries than the other groups(P=0.001). Patients with an EDLOS >24 h were older(P=0.001) and had more comorbidities(P=0.001) and fewer deaths(P=0.001). Multivariate regression analysis showed that the predictors of short EDLOS were female gender, GCS, SI, hemoglobin level, ISS, and blood transfusion. The predictors of mortality were TTA-1(odds ratio [OR]=4.081, 95%CI: 2.364–7.045), head injury(OR=3.920, 95%CI: 2.413–6.368), blood transfusion(OR=2.773, 95%CI: 1.668–4.609), SI(OR=2.132, 95%CI: 1.364–3.332), ISS(OR=1.077, 95%CI: 1.057–1.096), and age(OR=1.040, 95%CI: 1.026–1.054). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with shorter EDLOS had different baseline characteristics and hospital outcomes compared with patients with longer EDLOS. Patients with prolonged EDLOS had better outcomes;however, the burden of prolonged boarding in the ED needs further elaboration.

Correlation of serum albumin level on postoperative day 2 with hospital length of stay in patients undergoing emergency surgery for perforated peptic ulcer

BACKGROUND Perforated peptic ulcer(PPU)is a common emergency surgical condition and a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide.While advances in surgical techniques have improved outcomes for patients with PPU,many factors still affect postoperative hospital stay and overall prognosis.One potential factor is the serum albumin(SA)level,a widely utilized marker of nutritional status that has been associated with length of stay and complications in various surgical procedures.AIM To clarify the correlation of SA level on postoperative day 2 with hospital length of stay(HLOS)in patients undergoing emergency surgery for perforated peptic ulcer(PPU).METHODS We retrospectively collected and analyzed clinical baseline data,including blood routine and SA levels,of patients who underwent emergency PPU surgery and postoperative treatment at the Lingnan Hospital,the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University between December 2012 and September 2021.Patients were grouped according to HLOS with 7 d as the cut-off value,and relevant indicators were analyzed using SPSS 26.0.RESULTS Of the 37 patients undergoing emergency surgery for PPU referred to our department,33 had gastric and 4 had duodenal ulcer perforation.The median HLOS was 10 d.There were 8 patients in the≤7-d group(median HLOS:7 d)and 29 patients in the>7-d group(median HLOS:10 d).The≤7-d group had markedly higher SA on postoperative day 2 than the>7-d group(37.7 g/L vs 32.6g/L;P<0.05).The SA level on postoperative day 2 was a protective factor for patients with HLOS>7 d(Odds ratio=0.629,P=0.015).The cut-off of SA on postoperative day 2 was 30.6g/L,with an area under the curve of 0.86 and a negative predictive value of 100%for the prediction of HLOS≤7 d.CONCLUSION The SA level on postoperative day 2 was associated with the HLOS in patients undergoing emergency surgery for PPU.The pre-and post-operative albumin levels should be monitored,and infusion of human SA should be considered in a timely manner.

Machine learning applications for the prediction of extended length of stay in geriatric hip fracture patients

BACKGROUND Geriatric hip fractures are one of the most common fractures in elderly individuals,and prolonged hospital stays increase the risk of death and complications.Machine learning(ML)has become prevalent in clinical data processing and predictive models.This study aims to develop ML models for predicting extended length of stay(eLOS)among geriatric patients with hip fractures and to identify the associated risk factors.AIM To develop ML models for predicting the eLOS among geriatric patients with hip fractures,identify associated risk factors,and compare the performance of each model.METHODS A retrospective study was conducted at a single orthopaedic trauma centre,enrolling all patients who underwent hip fracture surgery between January 2018 and December 2022.The study collected various patient characteristics,encompassing demographic data,general health status,injury-related data,laboratory examinations,surgery-related data,and length of stay.Features that exhibited significant differences in univariate analysis were integrated into the ML model establishment and subsequently cross-verified.The study compared the performance of the ML models and determined the risk factors for eLOS.RESULTS The study included 763 patients,with 380 experiencing eLOS.Among the models,the decision tree,random forest,and extreme Gradient Boosting models demonstrated the most robust performance.Notably,the artificial neural network model also exhibited impressive results.After cross-validation,the support vector machine and logistic regression models demonstrated superior performance.Predictors for eLOS included delayed surgery,D-dimer level,American Society of Anaesthesiologists(ASA)classification,type of surgery,and sex.CONCLUSION ML proved to be highly accurate in predicting the eLOS for geriatric patients with hip fractures.The identified key risk factors were delayed surgery,D-dimer level,ASA classification,type of surgery,and sex.This valuable information can aid clinicians in allocating resources more efficiently to meet patient demand effectively.

Concept Analysis: Emergency Department Crowding and Length of Stay before and after an Increase in Catchment Area

Several notable issues arise from overcrowding in an emergency department (ED) for both patients and staff. Longer wait times, higher ambulance diversion rates, longer stays, higher incidence of medical errors, higher rates of patient mortality, and greater harm to hospitals due to financial losses are some of these problems. Collaboration is crucial in the healthcare industry since it determines the team’s hourly performance in managing patient care. By using Walker and Avant’s (2011) concept analysis method, the author reviewed the literature to better understand ED crowding, to ensure that patients receive safe treatment in a timely manner, and to highlight best practices that can be identified through concept analysis and practice evaluations. In conducting this concept analysis, Walker and Avant’s framework was applied to examine the nature of the findings selected for the advancement of the concept. Everyone working in the ED, from those who determine policy to those on the front lines continually encounter new obstacles, but has little or no time to formulate fresh concepts or reconsider how ED treatment is provided. Overcrowding occurs when the number of patients requiring attention, awaiting transfer, or undergoing diagnosis and treatment exceeds the physical capacity of ED staff. If a clear plan is not in place to increase and improve services in proportion to a growing population, this situation will persist.

Emergency Department Waiting Times and Determinants of Prolonged Length of Stay in a Botswana Referral Hospital

Introduction: Emergency medicine is a critical component of quality public health service. In fact length of stay and waiting times in the Emergency department are key indicators of quality. The aim of this study was to determine waiting times and determinants of prolonged length of stay (LOS) in the Princess Marina Hospital Emergency Department. Methods: This was a retrospective observational study. It was done at Princess Marina, a referral hospital in Gaborone, Botswana. Triage forms of patients who presented between 19/11/ 2018 and 18/12/2018 were reviewed. Data from patient files was used to determine time duration from triage to being reviewed by a doctor, time duration from review by emergency doctor to patients’ disposition and the time duration from patient’s triage to disposition (length of stay). Prolonged length of stay was defined as duration > 6 hours. Results: A total of 1052 files repre- senting patients seen over a 1-month period were reviewed. 72.5% of the patients had a prolonged length of stay. The median emergency doctor waiting time was 4.5 hours (IQR 1.6 - 8.3 hours) and the maximum was 27.1 hours. The median length of stay in the emergency department was 9.6 hours (IQR 5.8 - 14.6 hours) and the maximum was 45.9 hours. Patient’s age (AOR 1.01), mental status (AOR 0.61), admission to internal medicine service (AOR 5.12) and pediatrics admissions (AOR 0.11) were significant predictors of prolonged length of stay in the emergency department. Conclusion: Princess Marina Hospital emergency department waiting times and length of stay are long. Age, normal mental status and internal medicine admission were independent predictors of prolonged stay (>6 hours). Admission to the pediatrics service was associated with shorter length of stay. There is a need for interventions to address the long waiting times and length of stay. Interventions should particularly focus on the identified predictors.

Point-of-care ultrasound versus radiology department pelvic ultrasound on emergency department length of stay

BACKGROUND: The study aimed to compare the time to overall length of stay(LOS) for patients who underwent point-of-care ultrasound(POCUS) versus radiology department ultrasound(RDUS).METHODS: This was a prospective study on a convenience sample of patients who required pelvic ultrasound imaging as part of their emergency department(ED) assessment.RESULTS: We enrolled a total of 194 patients who were on average 32 years-old. Ninety-eight(51%) patients were pregnant(<20 weeks). Time to completion of RDUS was 66 minutes longer than POCUS(95%CI 60–73, P<0.01). Patients randomized to the RDUS arm experienced a 120 minute longer ED length of stay(LOS)(95%CI 66–173, P<0.01)CONCLUSION: In patients who require pelvic ultrasound as part of their diagnostic evaluation, POCUS resulted in a signifi cant decrease in time to ultrasound and ED LOS.

The Correlation of Hospital Operational Efficiency and Average Length of Stay in China: A Study Based on Provincial Level Data

Objective: To measure the hospital operation efficiency, study the correlation between average length of stay and hospital operation efficiency, analyze the importance of shortening average length of stay to the improvement of the hospital operation efficiency and put forward relevant policy suggestion. Methods: Based on China provincial panel data from 2003 to 2012, the hospital operation efficiencies are calculated using Super Efficiency Data Envelopment Analysis model, and the correlation between average length of stay and hospital operation efficiency is tested using Spearman rank correlation coefficient test. Results: From 2003 to 2012, the average of national hospital operation efficiency was increasing slowly and the hospital operations were inefficient in most of the areas. The national hospital operation efficiency is negatively correlated to the average length of stay. Conclusion: Measures should be taken to set average length of stay in a scientific and reasonable way, improve social and economic benefits based on the improvement of efficiency.

Language affects length of stay in emergency departments in Queensland public hospitals

BACKGROUND:A long length of stay(LOS) in the emergency department(ED) associated with overcrowding has been found to adversely affect the quality of ED care.The objective of this study is to determine whether patients who speak a language other than English at home have a longer LOS in EDs compared to those whose speak only English at home.METHODS:A secondary data analysis of a Queensland state-wide hospital EDs dataset(Emergency Department Information System) was conducted for the period,1 January 2008 to 31 December 2010.RESULTS:The interpreter requirement was the highest among Vietnamese speakers(23.1%)followed by Chinese(19.8%) and Arabic speakers(18.7%).There were significant differences in the distributions of the departure statuses among the language groups(Chi-squared=3236.88,P<0.001).Compared with English speakers,the Beta coefficient for the LOS in the EDs measured in minutes was among Vietnamese,26.3(95%Cl:22.1-30.5);Arabic,10.3(95%Cl:7.3-13.2);Spanish,9.4(95%CI:7.1-11.7);Chinese,8.6(95%Cl:2.6-14.6);Hindi,4.0(95%Cl:2.2-5.7);Italian,3.5(95%Cl:1.6-5.4);and German,2.7(95%Cl:1.0-4.4).The final regression model explained 17%of the variability in LOS.CONCLUSION:There is a close relationship between the language spoken at home and the LOS at EDs,indicating that language could be an important predictor of prolonged LOS in EDs and improving language services might reduce LOS and ease overcrowding in EDs in Queensland's public hospitals.

Waiting Times and Length of Stay of Trauma Patients in a Botswana Referral Hospital Emergency Department

Background: Mortality and morbidity due to trauma are a significant public health challenge. There is paucity of data on the waiting times and length of stay (LOS) of trauma patients in emergency departments in Botswana. The aim of this study was to determine the Emergency Department (ED) waiting times and LOS of trauma patients at Princess Marina Hospital in Gaborone, Botswana. Methods: This was a retrospective medical records review of waiting times (time from triage to review by ED medical officer) and LOS (time from triage to disposition from the emergency department). The waiting times for the different assigned acuities were assessed against the South African Triage System (SATS) standards. All trauma patients seen from 19/11/2018 to 18/12/2018 were included in the study. Prolonged length of stay was defined as duration > 6 hours. Categorical data was summarized with frequencies while numeric data was summarized with medians and interquartile ranges. Results: A total of 187 trauma patients’ files were analyzed. Of these, 72 (38.5%) were females. The median waiting time was 3.8 hours and the maximum was 19.2 hours. The median length of stay (LOS) was 8.8 hours with a maximum of 37.2 hours. Only 53 (28.3%) of the participants had a LOS of less than 6 hours. None of the emergent patients were seen immediately. Only 5 (4.0%) of the very urgent patients were seen within the target of 10 minutes. Finally, only 10 (20.4%) of urgent patients were seen within the target time of 1 hour. Conclusion: The waiting times and length of stay in Princess Marina Hospital were mostly above the recommended standards. Urgent interventions are needed to reduce waiting times and length of stay for trauma patients. More studies are needed to explore the sources of delay and investigate possible solutions to this public health challenge.

Hospital costs, length of stay and prevalence of hip and knee arthroplasty in patients with inflammatory bowel disease

To examined the prevalence of hip and knee arthroplasty in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) by comparing the diagnostic codes for these procedures in patients with IBD and a control group of patients. METHODSThe National Inpatient Sample database (NIS) is part of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), the largest publicly available inpatient healthcare database in the United States. The NIS samples about 20% of discharges from all community hospitals participating in HCUP, representative of more than 95% of the United States population, with approximately 7000000 hospitalizations reported annually. NIS contains data on diagnoses, procedures, demographics, length of stay (LOS), co-morbidities and outcomes. ICD-9-CM diagnostic codes for primary hospitalizations for arthroplasty of the hip or knee with a co-diagnosis of IBD [combining both Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC)] were used to identify study subjects for cost and LOS analysis for NIS from 1999-2012. Statistical analysis: 1: 2 propensity score matching between IBD vs a control group based on following factors: Patient age, gender, race, total co-morbidities, # of procedures, admission type, insurance, income quartiles, and hospital bed size, location and hospital teaching status. Categorical variables were reported as frequency and compared by χ2 tests or Fisher’s exact tests. Individual 1:3 matching was also performed for patients carrying diagnostic codes for CD and for patients with the diagnostic code for UC. After matching, continuous variables were rcompared with Wilcoxon signed rank or Paired T-tests. Binary outcomes were compared with the McNemar’s test. This process was performed for the diagnosis of hip or knee arthroplasty and IBD (CD and UC combined). Prevalence of the primary or secondary diagnostic codes for these procedures in patients with IBD was determined from NIS 2007. RESULTSCosts and mortality were similar for patients with IBD and controls, but LOS was significantly longer for hip arthroplasties patients with IBD, (3.85 +/-2.59 d vs 3.68 +/-2.54 d, respectively, P = 0.009). Costs, LOS and survival from the procedures was similar in patients with CD and UC compared to matched controls. These results are shown in Tables 1-10. The prevalence of hip arthroplasty in patients with IBD was 0.5% in 2007, (170/33783 total patients with diagnostic codes for IBD) and was 0.66% in matched controls (P = 0.0012). The prevalence of knee arthroplasty in patients with IBD was 1.36, (292/21202 IBD patients) and was 2.22% in matched controls (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONCosts and mortality rates for hip and knee arthroplasties are the same in patients with IBD and the general population, while a statistical but non-relevant increase in LOS is seen for hip arthroplasties in patients with IBD. Compared to the general population, arthroplasties of the hip and knee are less prevalent in hospitalized patients with IBD.

Robust Length of Stay Prediction Model for Indoor Patients

Due to unforeseen climate change,complicated chronic diseases,and mutation of viruses’hospital administration’s top challenge is to know about the Length of stay(LOS)of different diseased patients in the hospitals.Hospital management does not exactly know when the existing patient leaves the hospital;this information could be crucial for hospital management.It could allow them to take more patients for admission.As a result,hospitals face many problems managing available resources and new patients in getting entries for their prompt treatment.Therefore,a robust model needs to be designed to help hospital administration predict patients’LOS to resolve these issues.For this purpose,a very large-sized data(more than 2.3 million patients’data)related to New-York Hospitals patients and containing information about a wide range of diseases including Bone-Marrow,Tuberculosis,Intestinal Transplant,Mental illness,Leukaemia,Spinal cord injury,Trauma,Rehabilitation,Kidney and Alcoholic Patients,HIV Patients,Malignant Breast disorder,Asthma,Respiratory distress syndrome,etc.have been analyzed to predict the LOS.We selected six Machine learning(ML)models named:Multiple linear regression(MLR),Lasso regression(LR),Ridge regression(RR),Decision tree regression(DTR),Extreme gradient boosting regression(XGBR),and Random Forest regression(RFR).The selected models’predictive performance was checked using R square andMean square error(MSE)as the performance evaluation criteria.Our results revealed the superior predictive performance of the RFRmodel,both in terms of RS score(92%)and MSE score(5),among all selected models.By Exploratory data analysis(EDA),we conclude that maximumstay was between 0 to 5 days with the meantime of each patient 5.3 days and more than 50 years old patients spent more days in the hospital.Based on the average LOS,results revealed that the patients with diagnoses related to birth complications spent more days in the hospital than other diseases.This finding could help predict the future length of hospital stay of new patients,which will help the hospital administration estimate and manage their resources efficiently.

Analysis of Length of Stay (LOS) Data from the Medical Records of Tertiary Care Hospital in Saudi Arabia for Five Diagnosis Related Groups: Application of Cox Prediction Model

Background: One of the main objectives of hospital managements is to control the length of stay (LOS). Successful control of LOS of inpatients will result in reduction in the cost of care, decrease in nosocomial infections, medication side effects, and better management of the limited number of available patients’ beds. The length of stay (LOS) is an important indicator of the efficiency of hospital management by improving the quality of treatment, and increased hospital profit with more efficient bed management. The purpose of this study was to model the distribution of LOS as a function of patient’s age, and the Diagnosis Related Groups (DRG), based on electronic medical records of a large tertiary care hospital. Materials and Methods: Information related to the research subjects were retrieved from a database of patients admitted to King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia between January 2014 and December 2016. Subjects’ confidential information was masked from the investigators. The data analyses were reported visually, descriptively, and analytically using Cox proportional hazard regression model to predict the risk of long-stay when patients’ age and the DRG are considered as antecedent risk factors. Results: Predicting the risk of long stay depends significantly on the age at admission, and the DRG to which a patient belongs to. We demonstrated the validity of the Cox regression model for the available data as the proportionality assumption is shown to be satisfied. Two examples were presented to demonstrate the utility of the Cox model in this regard.

Preoperative Gabapentin Dosage Relationship to Length of Stay in Post-Anesthesia Care Unit in Patients Undergoing Pelvic and Breast Surgery

Background: Gabapentin is routinely prescribed preoperatively to decrease postoperative pain intensity. It is included in the enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) recommendations. Objective: To analyze correlation of gabapentin dosage and post anesthesia care unit (PACU) length of stay (LOS) and cost. Study Design: A retrospective chart review of patients who underwent general anesthesia and received preoperative oral gabapentin from June 2017 to August 2017 for pelvic and breast procedures. The main outcome was correlation between PACU LOS and gabapentin dosage in the outpatients. Financial analysis was performed to assess the cost to the hospital associated with increased LOS. Results: Of the 636 patients, 405 patients received 300 mg and 231 patients received 100 mg gabapentin. Mean dosage per kg (mg/kg ± SD) was 3.12 ± 1.51 (range: 0.86 to 6.12). PACU LOS was 96 ± 77 (minutes ± SD) in patients receiving 100 mg and 120 ± 96 in patients receiving 300 mg capsule (p = 0.001). Linear regression analysis, failed to show a statistically significant correlation between per kg dosage and PACU LOS (p = 0.13). Using multiple regression analysis, we calculated the correlation coefficient to be +1.71 minutes per 1mg/kg gabapentin (95% CI: -3.75 to +7.10, p = 0.54) after adjusting for confounders. Adding 3 mg/kg to pre-op gabapentin dosage of all outpatients cost on average, an extra $9794 per month in this cohort. Conclusion: Every 1mg/kg increase in gabapentin dosage adds an estimated 7.1 minutes to PACU LOS. A 3 mg/kg increase in gabapentin adds estimated 22 additional minutes in PACU LOS. Unfortunately, increase LOS is associated with increased hospital costs.

Open Partial Nephrectomy: One Night Length of Stay Is Safe and Cost Effective

Objective: To review our open partial nephrectomy (OPN) experience and compare to known robotic partial nephrectomy (RPN) data to determine whether length of stay (LOS) and morbidity are significant drivers in the surgical approach employed for partial nephrectomy. Methods: We reviewed our OPN experience during the last 3 years examining age, tumor size, LOS, pathology, blood loss, complications, recurences, and deaths. Results: Seventy-five patients underwent OPN during this period. Mean age was 59 years, tumor size 2.8 cm, percent malignant 75%, estimated blood loss 350 cc. With a median follow-up of 18 months, there was one urinoma managed by drain-age, one pseudo aneurysm that required embolization and one pulmonary embolism that required anticoagulation. There were no readmissions, no tumor recurences, and no deaths. Our major complication rate was 4% as compared to other trials that re-ported major complication rates between 1% - 9% for RPN and between 3% - 24% for OPN. In the first half of the experience (n = 37), median LOS was 57 hours. Using a pathway encouraging early ambulation and smaller incisions in the second half of the experience (n = 38), median LOS was 35 hours. This is much shorter than reported RPN LOS of 62 - 67 hours and OPN LOS of 108 - 142 hours. Conclusion: OPN can be performed safely and effectively with one night hospital stay. This provides a more cost-effective approach to partial nephrectomy with similar or better complication rates and calls into question the main value drivers of RPN.

Hospital Length of Stay Reduction: A Long-Term Study

This study evaluated length of stay reduction for adult medicine and adult surgery in the combined hospitals of Syracuse, New York between 1998 and 2016. The study was based on the All Patients Refined Severity of Illness System. Through this approach, it controlled for changes in the degree of illness of hospital populations. The study data indicated that reductions in adult medicine and adult surgery stays in the Syracuse hospitals between 1998 and 2012 reduced the annual number of excess days compared with severity adjusted national averages by 49,000, or an average daily census of 134.2. It appeared that the shift to reimbursement by discharges initiated by Medicare was a major cause of these reductions. The impact of this change was accompanied by length of stay reduction initiatives by the Syracuse hospitals, especially relating to long-term care. Between January-April 2012 and 2016, additional reductions brought the lengths of stay for adult medicine and adult surgery in the combined Syracuse hospitals close to the national average. The study suggested that remaining opportunities for length of stay reductions in Syracuse involved patients with high severity of illness and those discharged to nursing homes.

Factors affecting length of stay according to bronchopulmonary dysplasia severity:a nationwide cohort study in Korea

Background Longer hospitalizations for preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia(BPD)delay developmental outcomes,increase the risk for hospital-acquired complications,and exert a substantial socioeconomic burden.This study aimed to identify factors associated with an extended length of stay(LOS)at different levels of severity of BPD.Methods A cohort study was conducted using the Korean Neonatal Network registry of very low birth weight infants with BPD between 2013 and 2017 through retrospective analysis.Results A total of 4263 infants were diagnosed with BPD.For mild BPD,infants requiring surgical treatment for patent ductus arteriosus needed a longer LOS[eadjustedβcoefficients(adjβ)1.041;95%confidence interval(CI):0.01–0.08]and hydrocephalus(eadjβ1.094;95%CI 0.01–0.17).In moderate BPD,infants administered steroids or with intraventricular hemorrhage required a longer LOS(eadjβ1.041;95%CI 0.00–0.07 and eadjβ1.271;95%CI 0.11–0.38,respectively).In severe BPD,infants with comorbidities required a longer LOS:pulmonary hypertension(eadjβ1.174;95%CI 0.09–0.23),administrated steroid for BPD(eadjβ1.116;95%CI 0.07–0.14),sepsis(eadjβ1.062;95%CI 0.01–0.11),patent ductus arteriosus requiring surgical ligation(eadjβ1.041;95%CI 0.00–0.08),and intraventricular hemorrhage(eadjβ1.016;95%CI 0.05–0.26).Additionally,the higher the clinical risk index score,the longer the LOS needed for infants in all groups.Conclusions The factors affecting LOS differed according to the severity of BPD.Individualized approaches to reducing LOS may be devised using knowledge of the various risk factors affecting LOS by BPD severity.

Prediction of Th17/Treg cell balance on length of stay in intensive care units of patients with sepsis

Background Prolonged length of stay(LOS)of sepsis can drain a hospital's material and human resources.This study investigated the correlations between T helper type 17(Th17)and regulatory T(Treg)balance with LOS in sepsis.Methods A prospective clinical observational study was designed in Changhai Hospital affiliated to Naval Medical University in Shanghai,China,from January to October 2020.The patients diagnosed with sepsis and who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were recruited and whether the levels of cytokines,procalcitonin,subtypes,and biomarkers of T cells in the peripheral blood were detected.We analyzed the correlation between these and LOS.Results Sixty septic patients were classified into two groups according to whether their intensive care unit(ICU)stay exceeded 14 days.The patients with LOS≥14 days were older([72.6±7.5]years vs.[63.3±10.4]years,P=0.015)and had higher Sequential Organ Failure Assessment(SOFA)(median[interquartile range]:6.5[5.0–11.0]vs.4.0[3.0–6.0],P=0.001)and higher Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation(APACHE)II scores(16.0[13.0–21.0]vs.8.5[7.0–14.0],P=0.001).There was no difference in other demographic characteristics and cytokines,interleukin-6,tumor necrosis factor-α,and interleukin-10 between the two groups.The Th17/Treg ratio of sepsis with LOS<14 days was considerably lower(0.48[0.38–0.56]vs.0.69[0.51–0.98],P=0.001).For patients with LOS≥14 days,the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the Th17/Treg ratio was 0.766.It improved to 0.840 and 0.850 when combined with the SOFA and APACHE II scores,respectively.Conclusions The Th17/Treg ratio was proportional to septic severity and can be used as a potential predictor of ICU stay in sepsis,presenting a new option for ICU practitioners to better care for patients with sepsis.

Reducing Extended Hospital Lengths of Stay

In the United States, the costs of health care have become a major burden for the health care system. In order to address this problem, the hospitals of Syracuse, New York, developed programs to provide subacute and complex care. The Subacute programs provided patient transportation services for dialysis and other types of care outside hospitals. They also developed programs for services such as intravenous therapy in nursing homes. The Complex Care Programs, such as intravenous therapy and mental health services, have provided alternatives to extended care in hospitals. During the past five years, utilization of these programs has varied, declining between 2019 and 2022, and then increasing between 2022 and 2024. The programs have avoided the need for 1530 - 2974 patient days in hospitals. The programs saved the Syracuse hospitals approximately $600 per inpatient day. This amounted to savings of $918,000 - $1,784,400 per year. These programs demonstrated how relatively small mechanisms can save large amounts of health care resources.

The impact of daylight and window views on length of stay among patients with heart disease:A retrospective study in a cardiac intensive care unit

Background:Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States.The length of stay(LOS)is a well-established parameter used to evaluate health outcomes among critically ill patients with heart disease in cardiac intensive care units(CICUs).While evidence suggests that the presence of daylight and window views can positively influence patients’LOS,no studies to date have differentiated the impact of daylight from window views on heart disease patients.Also,existing research studies on the impact of daylight and window views have failed to account for key clinical and demographic variables that can impact the benefit of such interventions in CICUs.Methods:This retrospective study investigated the impact of access to daylight vs.window views on CICU patients'LOS.The study CICU is located in a hospital in the southeast United States and has rooms of the same size with different types of access to daylight and window views,including rooms with daylight and window views(with the patient bed located parallel to full-height,south-facing windows),rooms with daylight and no window views(with the patient bed located perpendicular to the windows),and windowless rooms.Data from electronic health records(EHRs)for the time-period September 2015 to September 2019(n=2936)were analyzed to investigate the impact of room type on patients’CICU LOS.Linear regression models were developed for the outcome of interest,controlling for potential confounding variables.Results:Ultimately,2319 patients were finally included in the study analysis.Findings indicated that patients receiving mechanical ventilation in rooms with access to daylight and window views had shorter LOS durations(16.8 h)than those in windowless rooms.Sensitivity analysis for a subset of patients with LOS≤3 days revealed that parallel bed placement to the windows and providing access to both daylight and window views significantly reduced their LOS compared to windowless rooms in the unit(P=0.007).Also,parallel bed placement to the window significantly reduced LOS in this patient subset for those with an experience of delirium(P=0.019),dementia(P=0.008),anxiety history(P=0.009),obesity(P=0.003),and those receiving palliative care(P=0.006)or mechanical ventilation(P=0.033).Conclusions:Findings from this study could help architects make design decisions and determine optimal CICU room layouts.Identifying the patients who benefit most from direct access to daylight and window views may also help CICU stakeholders with patient assignments and hospital training programs.

Length of stay and inpatient charges of total knee arthroplasty in China:analysis of a national database

Background:There are limited data on the resource utilization of total knee arthroplasty(TKA)in China.This study aimed to examine the length of stay(LOS)and inpatient charges of TKA in China,and to investigate their determinants.Methods:We included patients undergoing primary TKA in the Hospital Quality Monitoring System in China between 2013 and 2019.LOS and inpatient charges were obtained,and their associated factors were further assessed using multivariable linear regression.Results:A total of 184,363 TKAs were included.The LOS decreased from 10.8 days in 2013 to 9.3 days in 2019.The admission-to-surgery interval decreased from 4.6 to 4.2 days.The mean inpatient charges were 61,208.3 Chinese Yuan.Inpatient charges reached a peak in 2016,after which a gradual decrease was observed.Implant and material charges accounted for a dominating percentage,but they exhibited a downward trend,whereas labor-related charges gradually increased.Single marital status,non-osteoarthritis indication,and comorbidity were associated with longer LOS and higher inpatient charges.Female sex and younger age were associated with higher inpatient charges.There were apparent varieties of LOS and inpatient charges among provincial or non-provincial hospitals,hospitals with various TKA volume,or in different geographic regions.Conclusions:The LOS following TKA in China appeared to be long,but it was shortened during the time period of 2013 to 2019.The inpatient charges dominated by implant and material charges exhibited a downward trend.However,there were apparent sociodemographic and hospital-related discrepancies of resource utilization.The observed statistics can lead to more efficient resource utilization of TKA in China.