Length of hospital stay, discharge planning, and policy regarding the shortening of hospital stays: patients'and hospital care providers'point of view

In the context of health care cost containment, we interviewed hospitalized patients and their health care teams concerning the length of stay they considered necessary and hospital discharge. Patients were also interviewed on the present tendency to shorten hospital stays. Prospective study conducted in a subacute internal medicine ward with 254 consecutive patients and their health care teams. The mean evaluation of the length of stay considered as necessary was not significantly different between patients (9.7 days, SD=9.5) and their health care teams (9.6, SD=8.5). However, agreement between the two parties was moderate (r=0.64). Hospital discharge was considered as planned in similar proportions (18% vs 22% respectively), but was reported as more 'assured' by health care teams than by patients (p