Factors Influencing Length of Hospital Stay
Abstract
Dr. Sharfstein's Introduction: What determines length of stay for psychiatric patients? This is a subject of intense concern in an era of prospective payment and diagnosis-related groups (DRGs). This month's column reports a survey of a broad panel of mental health professionals about the factors that most frequently influence length of hospital stay. Interestingly, the survey respondents considered the patient's symptomatology, level of adaptive functioning, and social supports more important predictors of length of stay than specific psychiatric disorders, or diagnosis, which serves as the basis of the Medicare DRG system. Systematic research on the predictive value of these other clinical factors must proceed so that a more rational per case prospective payment system can be constructed for psychiatry.
Access content
To read the fulltext, please use one of the options below to sign in or purchase access.- Personal login
- Institutional Login
- Sign in via OpenAthens
- Register for access
-
Please login/register if you wish to pair your device and check access availability.
Not a subscriber?
PsychiatryOnline subscription options offer access to the DSM-5 library, books, journals, CME, and patient resources. This all-in-one virtual library provides psychiatrists and mental health professionals with key resources for diagnosis, treatment, research, and professional development.
Need more help? PsychiatryOnline Customer Service may be reached by emailing [email protected] or by calling 800-368-5777 (in the U.S.) or 703-907-7322 (outside the U.S.).