Key result
A longer hospital length of stay (>4.3 days) was associated with increased risks of one readmission (OR 2.32; 95% CI 1.86-2.88) and death over a two-year period (HR 2.25; 95% CI 2.05-2.47).
Why the study?
A shorter hospital length of stay has been implicated as premature discharge leading to adverse consequences, motivating an evaluation of its association with 28-day readmissions and post-discharge mortality.
Is a shorter hospital length of stay associated with increased risk of readmissions and post-discharge mortality?
Population
32 270 consecutive alive-discharge episodes
Comparison
Hospital length of stay tertiles (<1.2 days vs 1.2-4.3 days vs >4.3 days)
Design
Single-centred study
Follow-up
Two-year period
Authors
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Longer LOS identifies higher-risk patients; leaves open whether shortening LOS improves readmission or mortality outcomes.
Cohort (n=32,270)
No
Is a shorter hospital length of stay associated with increased risk of readmissions and post-discharge mortality?
Odds Ratio: 2.32 (95% CI 1.86–2.88)
Shorter hospital length of stay is associated with favorable post-discharge outcomes, including lower early readmission and mortality rates, challenging concerns about premature discharge.
Han et al. (2021) conducted a cohort in Hospital admission (n=32,270). Top tertile of hospital length of stay (>4.3 days) vs. Middle tertile of hospital length of stay (1.2-4.3 days) was evaluated on One readmission (OR 2.32, 95% CI 1.86-2.88). A longer hospital length of stay (>4.3 days) was associated with increased risks of one readmission (OR 2.32; 95% CI 1.86-2.88) and death over a two-year period (HR 2.25; 95% CI 2.05-2.47).
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