Reducing Hospital Stay in Dutch Hospitals
Author Information
Author(s): Ine Borghans, Richard Heijink, Tijn Kool, Ronald J. Lagoe, Gert P. Westert
Primary Institution: Prismant, research institute for health care
Hypothesis
How many hospital days potentially could be reduced in the Netherlands in the near future?
Conclusion
A further reduction of lengths of stay is possible, with a potential savings of 1.8 million hospital days if all hospitals operated as efficiently as the benchmark hospital.
Supporting Evidence
- The average length of stay in Dutch hospitals decreased from 14 days in 1980 to 7 days in 2006.
- In 2006, more than 80% of hospitals had a length of stay shorter than the benchmark hospital.
- A 14% reduction in hospital days could be achieved if all hospitals matched the efficiency of the benchmark hospital.
Takeaway
Hospitals in the Netherlands can save a lot of time by treating patients faster, which means fewer days in the hospital.
Methodology
Data from 69 hospitals was analyzed to calculate potential reductions in length of stay based on benchmarking against the 15th percentile hospital.
Limitations
The study may underestimate potential reductions due to outdated criteria for day-care treatments and not accounting for certain patient groups.
Participant Demographics
Data included admissions from general and academic hospitals in the Netherlands, with adjustments for age, diagnosis, and procedure.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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