Developing a standardised approach to the aggregation of inpatient episodes into person-based spells in all specialties and psychiatric specialties

Table 1 Length of stay

		Method 1	Method 2	Method 3	Method 4
Person spells: all specialties	Mean LOS	4.0	3.7	3.7	4.0
Person spells: all specialties	SD LOS	18.2	17.3	17.3	18.4
Person spells: psychiatric specialties	Mean LOS	48.5	46.7	45.8	48.6
Person spells: psychiatric specialties	SD LOS	111.5	107.5	106.1	113.1
Results from underlying episodes, so no method for aggregation applied
Episodes: all specialties	Mean LOS	3.0
Episodes: all specialties	SD LOS	12.6
Episodes: psychiatric specialties	Mean LOS	35.5
Episodes: psychiatric specialties	SD LOS	79.1
Difference (days LOS) between episode and person spell	All specialties	1.0	0.7	0.7	1.0
Difference (days LOS) between episode and person spell	psychiatric specialties	13.1	11.3	10.3	13.2
Difference (%) between episode and person spell	All specialties	34.0	22.3	22.3	34.7
Difference (%) between episode and person spell	psychiatric specialties	36.8	31.8	29.1	37.1

ISSN: 1472-6947