Excess Length Of Stay Research Articles

Intra‐hospital transfers to a higher level of care: Contribution to total hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) mortality and length of stay (LOS)

Patients who experience intra-hospital transfers to a higher level of care (eg, ward to intensive care unit [ICU]) are known to have high mortality. However, these findings have been based on single-center studies or studies that employ ICU admissions as the denominator. To employ automated bed history data to examine outcomes of intra-hospital transfers using all hospital admissions as the denominator. Retrospective cohort study. A total of 19 acute care hospitals. A total of 150,495 patients, who experienced 210,470 hospitalizations, admitted to these hospitals between November 1st, 2006 and January 31st, 2008. Predictors were age, sex, admission type, admission diagnosis, physiologic derangement on admission, and pre-existing illness burden; outcomes were: 1) occurrence of intra-hospital transfer, 2) death following admission to the hospital, 3) death following transfer, and 4) total hospital length of stay (LOS). A total of 7,868 hospitalizations that began with admission to either a general medical surgical ward or to a transitional care unit (TCU) had at least one transfer to a higher level of care. These hospitalizations constituted only 3.7% of all admissions, but accounted for 24.2% of all ICU admissions, 21.7% of all hospital deaths, and 13.2% of all hospital days. Models based on age, sex, preadmission laboratory test results, and comorbidities did not predict the occurrence of these transfers. Patients transferred to higher level of care following admission to the hospital have excess mortality and LOS.

Costs Attributable to Healthcare-Acquired Infection in Hospitalized Adults and a Comparison of Economic Methods

Hospitals will increasingly bear the costs for healthcare-acquired conditions such as infection. Our goals were to estimate the costs attributable to healthcare-acquired infection (HAI) and conduct a sensitivity analysis comparing analytic methods. A random sample of high-risk adults hospitalized in the year 2000 was selected. Measurements included total and variable medical costs, length of stay (LOS), HAI site, APACHE III score, antimicrobial resistance, and mortality. Medical costs were measured from the hospital perspective. Analytic methods included ordinary least squares linear regression and median quantile regression, Winsorizing, propensity score case matching, attributable LOS multiplied by mean daily cost, semi-log transformation, and generalized linear modeling. Three-state proportional hazards modeling was also used for LOS estimation. Attributable mortality was estimated using logistic regression. Among 1253 patients, 159 (12.7%) developed HAI. Using different methods, attributable total costs ranged between $9310 to $21,013, variable costs were $1581 to $6824, LOS was 5.9 to 9.6 days, and attributable mortality was 6.1%. The semi-log transformation regression indicated that HAI doubles hospital cost. The totals for 159 patients were $1.48 to $3.34 million in medical cost and $5.27 million for premature death. Excess LOS totaled 844 to 1373 hospital days. Costs for HAI were considerable from hospital and societal perspectives. This suggests that HAI prevention expenditures would be balanced by savings in medical costs, lives saved and available hospital days that could be used by overcrowded hospitals to enhance available services. Our results obtained by applying different economic methods to a single detailed dataset may inform future cost analyses.

Abstract 4353: Economic Burden of Prolonged Hyponatremia in Patients Admitted with Congestive Hear Failure (CHF) and Hyponatremia

Introduction : Hyponatremia is a common electrolyte abnormality present in patients hospitalized with CHF. Hypothesis : We sought to evaluate that the rate of correction of hyponatremia impacts the length of stay (LOS) and associated hospitalization cost. Methods : We analyzed 9,427 hyponatremic (Na<135 mEq/L) CHF patients hospitalized in 2003–2006 across 72 hospitals. Based on evaluation of hospital survival, we found a lower mortality with a Na rate of rise in the first 48 hours of 1– 6 mEq/L (favorable group). We conducted multivariable regression to estimate the effect of Na management on LOS and cost, controlling for baseline Na, admission severity, mortality status, and interaction of severity and mortality. Hospitalization cost was calculated by hospital and calendar year using the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) cost/charge ratios. Findings : The overall in-hospital mortality was 5.7%. The rate of favorable Na management within 48 hours of hospitalization was 60% (n=5,647). About 38% (n=3,557) patients had hyponatremia status unchanged or further deteriorated from baseline (prolonged hyponatremia). Another 2% (n=218) had Na corrected more than 7.0 mEq/L. After adjusting for confounders, the prolonged hyponatremia group showed 0.71 day increase in the LOS (95% CI: 0.45, 0.97 days; p<.0001) and $1,324 excess cost (95% CI: $569, $2,079; p<.001). The overcorrection group did not show significant difference in LOS and cost from the favorable Na group. Conclusions : Only 60% CHF patients with admission hyponatremia are managed favorably in regards to the rate of serum Na correction. The adjusted mean marginal excess LOS of prolonged hyponatremia is about 1 day and the excess cost is over $1,300. Recognition and institution of measures to insure an appropriate and predictable rate of Na correction are needed in order to improve economic outcomes among hyponatremic patients with CHF.

Using Patient Safety Indicators to Estimate the Impact of Potential Adverse Events on Outcomes

The authors estimated the impact of potentially preventable patient safety events, identified by Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Patient Safety Indicators (PSIs), on patient outcomes: mortality, length of stay (LOS), and cost. The PSIs were applied to all acute inpatient hospitalizations at Veterans Health Administration (VA) facilities in fiscal 2001. Two methods-regression analysis and multivariable case matching- were used independently to control for patient and facility characteristics while predicting the effect of the PSI on each outcome. The authors found statistically significant (p < .0001) excess mortality, LOS, and cost in all groups with PSIs. The magnitude of the excess varied considerably across the PSIs. These VA findings are similar to those from a previously published study of nonfederal hospitals, despite differences between VA and non-VA systems. This study contributes to the literature measuring outcomes of medical errors and provides evidence that AHRQ PSIs may be useful indicators for comparison across delivery systems.

Total and excess bed occupancy by age, specialty and insulin use for nearly one million diabetes patients discharged from all English Acute Hospitals

To investigate total diabetes bed occupancy and prolonged inpatient length of stay (LOS) in all English Acute Hospitals, we analysed hospital episode statistics (HES) discharge data for all English Acute Hospitals over 4 years for ICD10 discharge codes of E10 (‘insulin-dependent diabetes’) or E11 (‘non-insulin dependent diabetes’) by age-band (18–60, 61–75 and >75 years) and specialties. We matched these data to control discharges without these codes. There were 943,613 diabetes discharges (6,508,668 bed days) and 10,724,414 matched controls. Mean diabetes LOS increased with age for each specialty and both E10 and E11 codes, but excess diabetes LOS decreased with age. Excess diabetes LOS was <1.0 days in most groups and highest (1.2 days) in insulin-dependent surgical patients under 60 years old, where 19.7% of bed days were excess. A similar pattern was seen for 76,570 diabetes inpatients with key cardiac or surgical conditions. Excess bed occupancy due to prolonged mean LOS accounted for 325,033 bed days under general medical and surgical codes. There were 25,525 discharges with diabetic ketoacidosis (126,495 bed days) in these 4 years. Excess diabetes LOS is concentrated in younger age groups. Excess bed occupancy due to prolonged LOS in medical and surgical inpatients is three times greater than bed occupancy due to diabetic ketoacidosis. Strategies to reduce excess diabetes bed occupancy should emphasize reducing inpatient LOS in younger inpatients.

Marginal Increase in Cost and Excess Length of Stay Associated With Nosocomial Bloodstream Infections in Surviving Very Low Birth Weight Infants

Nosocomial bloodstream infections (NBIs) are associated with serious morbidity and prolonged length of stay (LOS) in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. However, the marginal costs and excess LOS associated with these infections have never been measured in different birth weight (BW) categories after adjustment for many of the potentially confounding demographic variables, comorbidities, and treatments. The objective of this study was to measure the marginal cost and excess LOS caused by NBIs in surviving VLBW infants in different BW categories. This retrospective study examined data previously collected as part of the Neonatal Intensive Care Quality Improvement Collaborative 2000 and the Vermont Oxford Network clinical outcomes database. Univariate analyses and multiple regression were used to examine the effect of NBIs on hospital costs and LOS. Seventeen neonatal intensive care units that participated in the Neonatal Intensive Care Quality Improvement Collaborative 2000 submitted both clinical and financial data on their VLBW infants who were born from January 1, 1998, to December 31, 1999. This study included data from both university and community hospitals. NBIs occurred in 19.7% of 2809 patients included in this study. NBI was associated with significantly increased treatment costs for infants with BW 751 to 1500 g. The marginal costs of NBIs, as estimated by multiple regression, varied from 5875 dollars for VLBW infants with a BW of 401 to 750 g to 12,80 dollars for those with BW of 751 to 1000 g. LOS was significantly increased in all BW categories. The excess LOS estimated by multiple regression varied from 4 days in VLBW infants with a BW of 1001 to 1251 g to 7 days in those with a BW of 751 to 1000 g. NBIs are associated with increased hospital treatment costs and LOS but by varying amounts depending on the BW. Preventing a single NBI could reduce the treatment costs of a VLBW infant by at least several thousand dollars. These savings are a greater percentage of the total treatment costs in VLBW infants with BW 1001 to 1500 g than in smaller infants.

Resource utilization among patients with sepsis syndrome.

To assess the resource utilization associated with sepsis syndrome in academic medical centers. Prospective cohort study. Eight academic, tertiary-care centers. Stratified random sample of 1,028 adult admissions with sepsis syndrome and all 248,761 other adult admissions between January 1993 and April 1994. The main outcome measures were length of stay (LOS) in total and after onset of sepsis syndrome (post-onset LOS) and total hospital charges. The mean LOS for patients with sepsis was 27.7 +/- 0.9 days (median, 20 days), with sepsis onset occurring after a mean of 8.1 +/- 0.4 days (median, 3 days). For all patients without sepsis, the LOS was 7.2 +/- 0.03 days (median, 4 days). In multiple linear regression models, the mean for patients with sepsis syndrome was 18.2 days, which was 11.0 days longer than the mean for all other patients (P < .0001), whereas the mean difference in total charges was $43,000 (both P < .0001). These differences were greater for patients with nosocomial as compared with community-acquired sepsis, although the groups were similar after adjusting for pre-onset LOS. Eight independent correlates of increased post-onset LOS and 12 correlates of total charges were identified. These data quantify the resource utilization associated with sepsis syndrome, and demonstrate that resource utilization is high in this group. Additional investigation is required to determine how much of the excess post-onset LOS and charges are attributable to sepsis syndrome rather than the underlying medical conditions.

Outcomes of primary and catheter-related bacteremia. A cohort and case-control study in critically ill patients.

We studied a cohort of 2201 patients hospitalized in 15 French intensive care units (ICUs) for > or = 48 h during a 4-mo period to assess the incidence and outcomes of primary and definite catheter-related bloodstream (CRB) or secondary nosocomial bloodstream infection (NBSI). Variables associated with ICU death and duration of stay were determined by logistic regression, and attributable mortality and length of stay (LOS) from a nested matched case-control (96 pairs) study, stratified on the source of bacteremia. Bacteremia occurred in 5% (95% CI 4.1-6%) of patients with > or = 48 h ICU stay. Primary, CRB, and secondary NBSI accounted for 29%, 26%, and 45% of the 111 episodes, respectively. NBSI was associated with a markedly increased risk of death (OR = 4.6; 95% CI 2.9-7.1) and an attributable mortality of 35% (95% CI, 28%-47%). In the case-control study, the excess mortality was 20% (p = 0.03) in patients with primary bacteremia and CRB, and 55% (p < 0.001) for secondary bacteremia; in patients with CRB only, the excess mortality was 11.5%. The median excess ICU LOS in survivors of NBSI was 9.5 d, and was similar, irrespective of its source. The risk of mortality associated with primary and catheter-related bacteremia appears much lower than that of secondary bacteremia, but is sizable, and the excess LOS incurred by the various categories of bacteremia is comparable. Differentiating catheter-related bacteremia from both primary and other secondary bacteremia appears warranted in studies conducted in critically ill patients.

Mortality and the increase in length of stay attributable to the acquisition of Acinetobacter in critically ill patients.

To determine the impact of Acinetobacter baumannii (AB) acquisition in intensive care unit (ICU) patients on mortality and length of stay (LOS). Pairwise matched 1:1 case-control study. Medical-surgical ICU in a tertiary health care institution. During 16 months, all patients admitted to the ICU were eligible. Case patients were defined as every patient with an AB isolation 48 hrs after ICU admission. Control patients were retrospectively selected from ICU patients without any AB isolation, according to seven matching variables. Attributable mortality and excess LOS in the ICU were measured. Eighty-seven patients were included, with 75 pairs successfully matched. Infection was defined in 48 patients (23 respiratory). The attributable mortality rate for AB acquisition was 30% (49% vs.19%) (95% confidence interval [CI] = 23%, 37%): 43% (CI = 34%, 52%) in patients with infection (58% vs.15%) and 53% (CI = 41%, 65%) in patients with respiratory infections (70% vs.17%). The estimated risk rates for death were 2.6 (CI = 1.6, 4.5; p < .001), 4.0 (CI = 1.9, 8.3; p < .001), and 4.0 (CI = 1.6, 10.2; p < .01), respectively. The attributable excess LOS was 13 days for both AB acquisition and infection (23 vs. 10 days; p < .001) and respiratory infections (23 vs. 10 days; p < .01). In noninfected patients, no significant excess of mortality was found (33% vs. 26%), but LOS increased in 15 days. AB acquisition involved an excess LOS in ICU patients and increased risk of death, but the latter could be found only in patients with proven infection.

Defining excess resource utilization and identifying associated factors for trauma victims.

Trauma system evaluation addresses aspects of the process, structure, and outcomes of trauma care. This approach may not identify all opportunities for trauma system improvement. Hospital length of stay (LOS) represents a meaningful measure of resource utilization and may help focus efforts to improve care. The purpose of this study is to estimate expected hospital LOS after trauma and determine the consequences of excessive LOS. Patients admitted during a 2-year period (January 1, 1993 to December 31, 1994) were retrospectively reviewed, and expected LOS was estimated. Excess LOS was defined as an observed LOS > or =100% of expected. Injuries, complications, and American College of Surgeons' Committee on Trauma audit filters were compared between the groups. Observed LOS exceeded expected by 100% or more for 568 of 5,226 patients (10.9%), and most survived (98.3%). Complications predicted excess LOS, whereas audit filters did not. Median costs for these 568 patients were $30,315 and totaled 30% of the expenditures for the entire cohort of 5,226 patients. Prolonged LOS represents an adverse outcome. Estimation of LOS and evaluation of outliers represents an important method for the evaluation of care within established trauma systems and centers.