Variation in extended length of stay after surgery is largely driven by practice style rather than patient factors, highlighting the potential benefit of enhanced recovery pathways.
Much of the variation in hospitals' risk-adjusted extended LOS rates is not attributable to patient illness or complications and therefore most likely represents differences in practice style. Efforts to reduce excess resource use should focus on efficiency of care, such as increased adoption of enhanced recovery pathways.
Krell et al. (2014) studied this question.