Hospitalist-run observation unit decreases length of stay
Hospitalist Leadership Connection, August 24, 2010
A new study indicates that hospitalist-run observation or short-stay units can reduce patient length of stay (LOS), according to the study, “Implementation of a hospitalist-run observation unit and impact on length of stay: A brief report,” in the August issue of the Journal of Hospital Medicine.
Researchers at the South Texas Veterans’ Healthcare System in San Antonio studied the effects of implementing a hospitalist-run, nonteaching, 10-bed clinical decision unit at the 604-bed teaching hospital setting. They looked at patients discharged from inpatient medicine and observation units with diagnoses of chest pain, asthma, syncope, cellulitis, and pyelonephritis.
After implementation, the overall LOS for all these patient diagnosis decreased from 2.4 to 2.2 days. LOS especially decreased for patients with cellulitis and asthma from 2.4 to 1.9 days and 2.2 to 1.2 days, respectively.
The hospitalist-run observation unit suggests that the unit has led to more efficient care, states the study.
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