The Variation of Factors of Severity-Adjusted Length of Stay (LOS) in Injury of Neck

Abstract

This study aims to identify contributing factors to Severity-Adjusted LOS (Length of Stay) variation of patients damaged to neck in order to suggest ways of reducing the LOS at the national level and the medical institution level. 14,096 inpatients with neck injury were selected as the study population from the 2004-2009 Korean National Hospital Discharge in-depth Injury Survey Data. We developed a Severity-Adjusted LOS Model for neck injuries using data-mining methods. This study discovered that operation Y/N, sex, age, admission route, injury mechanism, comorbidities Y/N (spondylosis & intervertebral disc disorders, Spinal cord injury, Skull & facial fractures, Other fractures, sprains and strains etc.) were factors affecting LOS for patients hospitalized with neck injury. According to the results of the impact of the health-insurance type on severity-adjusted LOS, the real LOS was significantly higher than adjusted LOS for patients with the industrial accident compensation insurance or medical aid program. Therefore, in order to manage LOS of inpatients with neck injury, the government should improve the industrial accident compensation insurance review & assessment service and suggest alternatives on medical aid recipients’ excessive medical utilization. Also, the hospitals should take account of objective and reliable LOS statistics to effectively manage hospital LOS.