Inappropriate hospital stays and association with lack of homecare services

Abstract

Background: Efforts to reduce inappropriate hospital stay, including alternatives such as homecare, are important to improve patient care and reduce health care costs. Aims: This study evaluated inappropriate hospital stay in Shiraz, Islamic Republic of Iran and the extent to which these stays were due to lack of homecare services and others factors needed for homecare. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between January 2018 and September 2019 at two public hospitals in Shiraz. All adult patients hospitalized in these two hospitals in the study period were included, except patients in mental care wards. Appropriateness of patients’ hospital stay was assessed on a daily basis using the Iranian version of the Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol. The chi-squared test was used to assess association between need for homecare and patient characteristics. Results: Of 6458 hospitalization days assessed (for 1954 patients), 710 (11.0%) days were inappropriate. The greatest proportion of causes of inappropriate stay were physician-related (32.9%). Of the 710 inappropriate hospitalization days, 231 were due to lack of homecare services. Most patients who were inappropriately hospitalized because of lack of homecare services were insured through Salamat insurance (64.0%). A statistically significant relationship was found between the need for homecare services and the type of health insurance (P = 0.01). Of the patients admitted to hospital because of lack of homecare services, 36.8% had endocrine diseases, especially diabetes, and 21.8% needed oxygen services. Conclusion: Institutionalizing home health care in the Iranian health system could encourage more home health care referral and reduce inappropriate hospitalization, especially for diabetes.