The Short Stay Unit as a new option for hospitals: A review of the scientific literature

Abstract

SummaryBackgroundThe short stay unit (SSU) is a ward providing targeted care for patients requiring brief hospitalization and dischargeable as soon as clinical conditions are resolved. Therefore, SSU is an alternative to the ordinary ward (OW) for the treatment of selected patients. The SSU model has been tested in only a few hospitals, and the literature lacks systematic evaluation of the impact of SSU use. The aim of our study was to evaluate the use of SSUs in terms of length of hospital stay, mortality and readmission rate.Material/MethodsA random effect meta-analysis was carried out by consulting electronic databases. Studies were selected that focused on comparison between use of SSUs and OWs. Mean difference of length of stay was calculated within 95% confidence intervals.ResultsSix articles were selected, for a total of 21 264 patients. The estimated mean difference was −3.06 days (95% CI −4.71, −1.40) in favor of the SSU. The selected articles did not show any differences in terms of mortality and readmission rate.ConclusionsUse of SSUs could reduce patient length of stay in hospital, representing an alternative to the ordinary ward for selected patients. A shorter period of hospitalization could reduce the risk of hospital-acquired infections, increase patient satisfaction and yield more efficient use of hospital beds. Findings of this study are useful for institutional, managerial and clinical decision-makers regarding the implementation of the SSU in a hospital setting, and for better management of continuity of care.

Quick diagnostic unit integrated in an emergency department setting reduces medical admissions – an observational study

“…The changes in patient flow caused by short stay units and QDUs are already recognized in the literature [13,14] , and our study confirms these findings and corresponds with the expected reduction in admissions.…”

Alternatives to ward admission from the emergency department

“…Potential benefits of short stay care include: reduced inpatient time, improved patient and parent comfort and satisfaction, cost effectiveness, improved ED flow, improved patient access and reduction in inpatient hospital admissions . A successful short stay admission constitutes disease improvement, discharge within the pre‐defined timeframe and no unplanned return with the same disease.…”

Modeling the effect of short stay units on patient admissions

“…However, the evidence for this is not yet convincing [6,8]. Therefore the length of stay at the inpatient wards for patients of type i is equal to µ −1 i , regardless of whether the patient was routed via the SSU.…”