The Cost of Medically Unnecessary Days Due to Waiting for Guardianship in a State Acute Hospital System
Hospitals must do more with less, making efficiency a priority. Discharge delays create challenges for acute care hospitals. Some delays are due to patients waiting for a guardian-a person appointed to assist an adult who lacks decision-making capacity. Previous studies examine the burden of excess...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Book |
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SAGE Publishing,
2022-03-01T00:00:00Z.
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| Online Access: | Connect to this object online. |
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| Summary: | Hospitals must do more with less, making efficiency a priority. Discharge delays create challenges for acute care hospitals. Some delays are due to patients waiting for a guardian-a person appointed to assist an adult who lacks decision-making capacity. Previous studies examine the burden of excess days in a single academic medical center (AMC); however, these institutions do not represent the entire hospital system. This descriptive study expands upon previous analyses by calculating the financial implications of medically unnecessary days in a state's hospitals to payers. Two models are presented: one calculates the gross patient service revenues required to support excess days; the other calculates the expense to hospitals. Results suggest that substantial funds are required to support excess days. Funds may be better allocated to support the health and well-being of people needing medical care or to address the cause of delays due to waiting for guardianship. |
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| Item Description: | 0046-9580 1945-7243 10.1177/00469580221086912 |