Impact of a day‐care center on the appropriateness of hospital admissions and frequency of hospitalization in patients with HIV infection

Abstract

Aims to assess the impact of a day‐care center (DCC) on hospital bed usage by HIV‐infected patients. Reviews the medical records of 710 hospital admissions of HIV‐infected patients admitted to two Spanish hospitals, one of them with a DCC, over a three‐year period. The proportion of unnecessary admissions was significantly higher in the hospital without a DCC. The rate of hospital admissions among patients who were admitted to hospital was also greater in the hospital without a DCC, as well as the rate of admissions among patients on antiretroviral drugs. Concludes that the availability of a DCC improves the appropriateness of hospital admissions and decreases the number of hospitalizations in HIV‐infected patients.

Citation

Escolano Hortelano, C.M., Gutiérrez Rodero, F., Ena Muñoz, J., Benito Santaleocadia, C., Masiá Canuto, M., Martín Hidalgo, A., Mora Rufete, A. and Hernández Aguado, I. (2001), "Impact of a day‐care center on the appropriateness of hospital admissions and frequency of hospitalization in patients with HIV infection", British Journal of Clinical Governance, Vol. 6 No. 2, pp. 102-108. https://doi.org/10.1108/14664100110397214