Average length of stay in hospitals

The average length of stay in hospitals is often regarded as an indicator of efficiency. All else being equal, a shorter stay will reduce the cost per discharge and shift care from inpatient to less expensive post-acute settings. Longer stays can be indicative of poor-value care: inefficient hospital processes may cause delays in providing treatment errors and poor-quality care may mean patients need further treatment or recovery time poor care co-ordination may leave people stuck in hospital waiting for ongoing care to be arranged. At the same time, some people may be discharged too early, when staying in hospital longer could have improved their outcomes or reduced chances of re-admission.