Patient Days
The total number of days all inpatients spent in the hospital over a period -- one patient staying four nights is four patient days. It is the workload denominator behind most hospital economics (cost per patient day, revenue per patient day) and it moves differently from admissions: a hospital can admit more patients while patient days FALL if length of stay is shortening, which is usually a sign of efficiency or of a shift toward less acute cases. Reading admissions without patient days misses that entirely.
Related terms
Absorption Rate · AFFO per Share · Allowed Return on Equity · Alternative Investments · Anchor Tenant · Ancillary Spend per Visit
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