1. Appropriateness of short-stay admissions for procedures in six Veterans Affairs hospitals.
- Author
-
Winickoff RN, Fischer MA, and August BJ
- Subjects
- Clinical Protocols standards, Cost-Benefit Analysis, Humans, Length of Stay economics, New England, Surgical Procedures, Operative economics, United States, Health Services Misuse statistics & numerical data, Hospitals, Veterans statistics & numerical data, Length of Stay statistics & numerical data, Patient Admission statistics & numerical data, Surgical Procedures, Operative statistics & numerical data, Utilization Review
- Abstract
Admissions records were reviewed for six acute care Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMC's) in New England to determine appropriateness of short-stay admissions (two days or less) in fiscal years 1986 and 1987 for certain medical and surgical procedures. Results indicated that such admissions accounted for 18,588 (22%) of a total of 84,266 admissions for the six hospitals; of these admissions, 4,362 were for procedures commonly performed on an outpatient basis. Criteria developed by a peer review board of physicians was applied to a sample of 728 (16.7%) of the 4,362 short-stay admissions for these procedures; 190 (26.1%) admissions from this sample were found to be inappropriate. Inappropriateness rates (9.1% to 46.1%), as well as the number and type of procedures, varied among the six VAMCs. Some VAMCs may be able to improve efficiency by performing more procedures on an outpatient basis.
- Published
- 1991
- Full Text
- View/download PDF