ABSTRACT
Length of stay (LOS) is the single most important factor in controlling expenses across all categories in healthcare. Healthcare administrators have approached expense reduction strategies from a traditional business management model. This includes the strong management of resources such as labor, non-labor, portfolio review, contracts, and supply chain. Although the medical management of patients can come in many forms, the three main areas that hold the most opportunity are order set utilization, clinical pathways, and LOS management. The management of clinical utilization is ripe with opportunity, and requires significant provider involvement. Partnering with providers to identify best practices for clinical pathways or LOS is not just a good thing, it's a requirement. LOS reduction always starts by analyzing the metrics. LOS is an extensive term describing many functions and processes, knowing how to prioritize will save the organization time and money.
