Abstract
Between Oct., ′75 & Feb., ′76, policies were changed to reduce unnecessary hospitalizations, decrease unnecessary hospital days and improve care on the pediatric service of a municipal hospital. These included screening of all admissions by a senior resident, elimination of part-time attendings, increasing ward time of full-time attendings and frequent review of reasons for continued hospitalization. To assess the effect of these changes, approximately 100 records each from March ′75, ′76, and ′77 were examined retrospectively by the authors (cf. Table):
Utilization of service was improved as evidenced by significant decreases in the number of admissions per ER visit, in the percent of patients inappropriately hospitalized, in the overall length of stay, and in the percent of unnecessary days spent in the hospital. Patient care was improved as demonstrated by significant decreases in the percent of patients with a delay in diagnosis or inappropriate treatment. We conclude that changes in policy can significantly improve hospital utilization and the quality of patient care even in a large municipal hospital.
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Phillipp, J., Rao, M., Cook, C. et al. 499 IMPACT OF POLICY CHANGES ON INPATIENT CARE. Pediatr Res 12 (Suppl 4), 447 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197804001-00504
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197804001-00504