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Data Element Detail

Episode of admitted patient care-length of stay (excluding leave days), total days
Identifying and Definitional Attributes
QH 040015 v2
Data Element
Derived Data Element
Draft
12-Jun-2014		Current
04-Aug-2014
Standard
01-Jul-2014
The length of stay of a patient for an episode of admitted patient care, excluding leave days, measured in days.
Admitted patient care
Length of stay (excluding leave days)
Bed days (HBCIS); Patient days (QHAPDC); LOS
Representational Attributes
Integer
Quantitative Value
[N(4)]N
1
5
Permissible Values

Permissible_values

Non-negative integer
Supplementary Values

Supplemenary_values

-
Collection and Usage Attributes
A same-day patient should be allocated a length of stay of one patient day.

The length of stay of an overnight stay patient is calculated by subtracting the date the patient is admitted from the date of separation and deducting total leave days.

Total contracted patient days are included in the length of stay.

The calculation is inclusive of admission and separation dates.
Must be a non-negative integer.

Clinical Costing Data Repository:
Must not be null.
Queensland Hospital Admitted Patient Data Collection (QHAPDC):
There are rules that allow consistent calculation of length of stay.
1. The sum of patient days, contract leave and leave days must equal the number of days elapsed between admission date and separation date.
2. For any given date, either a patient day or any type of leave day may be counted, but not both.
3. Patient days are not accrued when the patient is out of hospital on leave even though a bed may be "held" for the patient during their absence.
4. For patients admitted and separated on different dates, count one patient day for day of admission; do not count a patient day for day of separation.
5. For patients admitted and separated on the same date, count one patient day; no leave days. The length of stay is one day.
6. A same day patient cannot go on overnight leave.
7. A period of leave cannot exceed seven days.
8. Normally, the day of going on leave is counted as a leave day, and the day of returning from leave is counted as a patient day.
9. When, on the same date, a patient is admitted and goes on leave, count this day as a patient day. When, on the same date, a patient returns from leave and again goes on leave, count this day as a leave day. When, on the same date, a patient returns from leave and is separated, do not count this day as either a patient day or a leave day.
10. For QHAPDC, leave is reported only where the patient is away at midnight. Midnight is recorded as the start of a new day (not the end of the previous one).
11. If an admitted patient goes from one hospital to another to receive treatment (as an admitted patient) and the patient has not been placed on contract leave, they must be separated and re-admitted on return (if applicable).
12. Patients cannot be charged for "leave days" even if they had treatment and accommodation for part of that day.

Retrospective example:
A patient was admitted on 4 January 2014 and discharged on 11 January 2014. There was one day of leave in that time. The length of stay is (11- 4) -1 = 6 days.

Progressive example:
A patient was admitted on 4 January 2014. As of 8 January 2014, with no days of leave the length of stay is 4 days.

Clinical Costing Data Repository (CCDR):
The length of stay of an overnight stay patient is calculated by subtracting the date the patient is admitted from the date of separation and deducting total leave days. Total contracted patient days are included in the length of stay. A same-day patient should be allocated a length of stay of one patient day.

This data is not required for Emergency Department, Outpatient or Community service events.
Relational Attributes
Related Metadata References

Related Metadata References_IR

  • 1 - 10
ViewRelationshipMetadata Item TypeMetadata Item SubtypeNameIdentifier & VersionApproval Status
SupersedesData ElementDerived Data ElementPatient daysQH 040015 Version 1Superseded
Is derived fromData ElementData ElementEpisode of admitted patient care-admission dateQH 040008 Version 2Current
Is derived fromData ElementData ElementEpisode of admitted patient care-separation dateQH 040117 Version 3Current
Is derived fromData ElementDerived Data ElementEpisode of admitted patient care-number of leave daysQH 040984 Version 3Current
Is derived fromData ElementDerived Data ElementEpisode of admitted patient care-number of leave daysQH 040984 Version 2Superseded
Is related but not equivalent toData ElementDerived Data ElementAdmitted patient-length of stay (excluding leave days), total days at point during episode of careQH 040016 Version 2Current
Is used in conjunction withData ElementData ElementEpisode of admitted patient care-tobacco smoking status of patientQH 041751 Version 3Superseded
Is used in conjunction withData ElementData ElementEpisode of admitted patient care-tobacco smoking status of patientQH 041751 Version 2Superseded
Is used in conjunction withData ElementData ElementEpisode of admitted patient care-tobacco smoking status of patientQH 041751 Version 1Superseded
Relates toData ElementData Element ConceptEpisode of admitted patient careQH 041604 Version 1Current
Implementation in Metadata Sets

Implemented

  • 1 - 2
ViewMetadata Item TypeMetadata Item SubtypeNameIdentifer & VersionObligationApproval StatusEffective FromEffective To
Information AssetData CollectionQueensland Hospital Admitted Patient Data Collection (QHAPDC)QH 020001 Version 2Current01-Jul-2019
Information AssetData CollectionQueensland Hospital Admitted Patient Data Collection (QHAPDC)QH 020001 Version 1Superseded01-Jul-201430-Jun-2019
Source and Reference Attributes
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
METeOR data element: Episode of admitted patient care-length of stay (excluding leave days), total N[NN], Identifier 269982, Health standard 01/03/2005 https://meteor.aihw.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/269982/meteorItemView/long
CRDI; CRDI QHAPDC; CRDI QPDC; LOS; Length of stay; OBD; Occupied bed days; Patient days;