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Brief Summary


TITLE

Intensive care: mean length of stay (LOS) for intensive care unit (ICU) by type of unit.

SOURCE(S)

  • Specifications manual for national hospital quality measures - ICU. Oakbrook Terrace (IL): Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO); 2005. various p.

Measure Domain

PRIMARY MEASURE DOMAIN

Use of Services

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SECONDARY MEASURE DOMAIN

Does not apply to this measure

Brief Abstract

DESCRIPTION

This measure is used to assess the risk-adjusted mean for intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LOS) stratified by type of ICU.

Note: Both observed and predicted rates are reported.

The measure rates for risk-adjusted ICU LOS should be analyzed in conjunction with the risk-adjusted hospital mortality for ICU patients. See the related National Quality Measures Clearinghouse (NQMC) measure summary Intensive care: percentage of adult patients having had an intensive care unit (ICU) stay whose hospital outcome is death.

RATIONALE

The efficient utilization of resources has become a priority in the health care environment today. Length of stay (LOS) has become an important measurement used to control costs, is commonly used as an indication of the quality of care rendered, and is a common outcome variable used to compare the performance between hospitals. Prolonged length of stay may be an indication of patient complications. Length of stay measure rates may offer a method of evaluating efficiency of intensive care unit (ICU) bed utilization and may complement mortality ratios in assessing effectiveness of care.

PRIMARY CLINICAL COMPONENT

Intensive care; length of stay (LOS)

DENOMINATOR DESCRIPTION

  • Intensive care unit (ICU) patients 18 years of age or greater
  • Patients who had a transplant during a previous hospitalization

See the related "Denominator Inclusions/Exclusions" field in the Complete Summary.

NUMERATOR DESCRIPTION

Continuous variable statement: mean length of stay (LOS) for intensive care unit (ICU) patients by Type of Unit

DATA SOURCE

Medical record

Identifying Information

ORIGINAL TITLE

ICU-5: intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LOS) by type of unit.

MEASURE COLLECTION

Joint Commission Intensive Care Unit Measure Set

DEVELOPER

Joint Commission, The

FUNDING SOURCE(S)

All external funding for measure development has been received and used in full compliance with The Joint Commission's Corporate Sponsorship policies, which are available upon written request to The Joint Commission.

COMPOSITION OF THE GROUP THAT DEVELOPED THE MEASURE

The composition of the group that developed the measure is available at: http://www.jointcommission.org/PerformanceMeasurement/MeasureReserveLibrary/Spec+Manual+-+ICU.htm.

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES/OTHER POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

Expert panel members have made full disclosure of relevant financial and conflict of interest information in accordance with the Joint Commission's Conflict of Interest policies, copies of which are available upon written request to The Joint Commission.

ADAPTATION

Measure was adapted from another source.

PARENT MEASURE

Day 1 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Length of Stay (LOS) Prediction (Cerner Corporation)

RELEASE DATE

2005 Feb

MEASURE STATUS

This is the current release of the measure.

SOURCE(S)

  • Specifications manual for national hospital quality measures - ICU. Oakbrook Terrace (IL): Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO); 2005. various p.

MEASURE AVAILABILITY

The individual measure, "ICU-5: Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Length of Stay (LOS) By Type of Unit," is published in "Specifications Manual for National Hospital Quality Measures - ICU." This document is available from the The Joint Commission Web site. Check The Joint Commission Web site regularly for the most recent version of the Specifications Manual and for the applicable dates of discharge. For further information, refer to www.jointcommission.org.

NQMC STATUS

This NQMC summary was completed by ECRI on January 17, 2006. The information was verified by the measure developer on February 10, 2006.

COPYRIGHT STATEMENT

The Specifications Manual for National Hospital Quality Measures - ICU, [Version 1.0, February 2005] is the intellectual property of and copyrighted by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois. It is used in this publication with the permission of the Joint Commission.

Disclaimer

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Readers with questions regarding measure content are directed to contact the measure developer.




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