Average Length Of Stay

The average number of days a patient remains admitted to a hospital, from admission to discharge -- a core efficiency and utilization metric. A shorter length of stay generally means more efficient care (patients recover and are discharged faster, freeing beds), and hospitals and payers have pushed it down for decades through better care pathways and a shift of recovery to outpatient and home settings. But it cuts two ways: an unusually short stay can signal premature discharge and readmission risk, while a lengthening stay can reflect either sicker patients or discharge bottlenecks. Read with occupancy and admissions to understand how fully and efficiently the hospital is using its beds.

Related terms

Accounts Payable · Adjusted EBITDA · Adjusted EBITDA Ex-SBC · ADR · ARPU · Average Ticket

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