The implications of long-term acute care hospital transfer practices for measures of in-hospital mortality and length of stay.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

The National Quality Forum recently endorsed in-hospital mortality and intensive care unit length of stay (LOS) as quality indicators for patients in the intensive care unit. These measures may be affected by transferring patients to long-term acute care hospitals (LTACs).

Objectives

To quantify the implications of LTAC transfer practices on variation in mortality index and LOS index for patients in academic medical centers.

Methods

We used a cross-sectional study design using data reported to the University HealthSystem Consortium from 2008-2009. Data were from patients who were mechanically ventilated for more than 96 hours.

Measurements and main results

Using linear regression, we measured the association between mortality index and LTAC transfer r

SUBMITTER: Hall WB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3361349 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature