Study: Hospitalists shorten a patient's average length of stay

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January 2, 2008

A study published in the December 20 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine found that the use of hospitalists decreases patients' stays at hospitals by 12%. The study followed 76, 926 patients from September 2002 and September 2005, and compared the length of stay, costs, and death rates between patients assigned a hospitalist and patients not assigned a hospitalist.

The costs associated with the hospital stay did not drop when patients were assigned a hospitalist, and the study did not account for quality of care. However, the decreased length of stay indicates hospitalists may have a positive effect on healthcare.

To read the article here.