Dictionary
The Dictionary provides concise definitions of health economics terms, arranged alphabetically for quick reference. Use it to understand unfamiliar terminology or confirm the meaning of a specific term.
A
- Average Length of Stay
- A measure found by dividing total patient-days within a facility by discharges over the same period, an indicator of efficiency.
C
- Cost Driver
- A factor that causes the total cost of an activity to change, such as patient volume, case complexity, or length of stay.
D
- Day Outlier
- A case whose actual length of stay substantially exceeds what standard diagnosis-related group payment would expect, triggering additional supplemental payment.
G
- Geometric Mean LOS
- A statistical measure of typical diagnosis-related group length of stay, using geometric rather than arithmetic mean to reduce outlier influence.
L
- Length of Stay
- The total duration of a single patient's hospital admission, from the date of admission to the date of discharge.
- Length Of Stay Management
- Strategies used to appropriately manage and, where clinically suitable, reduce hospitalisation duration, through care coordination and discharge planning.
- Length of Stay Review
- An evaluation of a hospitalisation's duration relative to what would typically be expected, identifying efficiency opportunities or investigating prolonged stays.