Length of stay of patients in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Abstract

Background: Hospitals are overburdened by the number of patients both outdoor and indoor. This study was conducted to determine the length of stay of patients in medical units of a tertiary care hospital in our set up. Material & Methods: This descriptive study was conducted in the Department of Medicine, Postgraduate Medical Institute, Hayatabad Medical Complex Peshawar, Pakistan from April 15, 2010 to September 15, 2010. Total of 174 patients were studied for the purpose of their length of stay in hospital. Length of stay was determined for age groups, gender and diagnostic status of patients. Results: Total of 174 patients (90 males & 84 females) were included in the study. Total length of stay of all patients was 826 days. Average length of stay was 4.74 days. Conclusion: Average length of stay of our patients in medical unit is adequate. Females compared to males stay longer. Patients with predominantly diagnostic problem stay longer. Those above 60 have shorter hospital stay compared to other age groups.