J Korean Soc Emerg Med.  2015 Apr;26(2):165-171. 10.0000/jksem.2015.26.2.165.

Analysis of Factors Affecting Length of Hospital Stay in Geriatric Patients Transferred from Long-term Care Hospitals

• Park JW
• Park HI
• Shim MB
• Lee CJ
• Bae JK
• Je SM
• Chung TN
• Kim EC
• Choi SW
• Kim OJ

• KMID: 2191798
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.0000/jksem.2015.26.2.165

Abstract

PURPOSE
The number of geriatric patients transferred from long-term care hospitals to emergency department (ED) is increasing because the number of long-term care hospitals has increased significantly in recent years. Only a few studies showing the characteristics of geriatric patients transferred from long-term care hospitals to ED have been reported. We assessed factors affecting length of hospital stay in geriatric non-trauma patients transferred from long-term care hospital to ED.
METHODS
This study was a retrospective review of the medical records of 143 patients who were transferred from long-term care hospital to ED. Admitted patients were classified according to two groups (general ward group and intensive care unit group). Univariate analyses were performed relating initial vital signs and laboratory methods for prediction of the length of hospital stay. Cox proportional hazard analysis was then derived, with all variables in the final model significant at p<0.05.
RESULTS
A total of 189 patients were enrolled in the study. Results of univariate analysis for Glasgow Coma Scale, heart rate, oxygen saturation, white blood cell count, segmented granulocyte percent, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein were significant. In multivariate analysis results for oxygen saturation (p=0.014, hazard ratio=1.065) and segmented granulocyte percent (p=0.025, hazard ratio=0.975) were significant.
CONCLUSION
Higher oxygen saturation and lower segmented granulocyte percent are independent factors leading to earlier discharge from the hospital in geriatric non-trauma patients transferred from long-term care hospitals.

Keyword

Length of stay; Long-term care; Intensive care units; Hospital emergency service

MeSH Terms

Blood Sedimentation
C-Reactive Protein
Emergency Service, Hospital
Glasgow Coma Scale
Granulocytes
Heart Rate
Humans
Intensive Care Units
Length of Stay*
Leukocyte Count
Long-Term Care*
Medical Records
Multivariate Analysis
Oxygen
Retrospective Studies
Vital Signs
C-Reactive Protein
Oxygen