Predictors of length of stay in day hospital patients

Abstract

This prospective study assessed the importance off baseline clinical, socio-demographic and diagnostic variables on patient outcome at six weeks, and their relationship to total length of stay. It included all patients admitted to an acute day hospital in inner London over a one-year period, and used standardised rating scales. All scales improved after six weeks, but only improvement on the Global Assessment Scale (GAS) predicted the length off stay in those patients who were depressed. There was an increased length off stay in patients with a diagnosis off personality disorder and those admitted with a lower score on the GAS.