Developing an Operational Definition for Delayed Discharges in Mental Health Hospitalizations at General Hospitals
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53680/vertex.v36i169.897Keywords:
length of stay, delayed discharge, general hospitals, mental healthAbstract
Introduction: Prolonged hospitalizations are a challenge for health systems. This paper discusses prolonged hospitalizations in general hospitals, considering the significance of hospitalization in these services within the framework of psychiatric reform processes. The first aspect of the discussion is to clarify the operational definition of prolonged hospitalizations. Methods: A document review was conducted, including scientific articles and technical documents. The analysis examined the terms used to refer to prolonged hospitalizations and sought to identify whether a specific time frame was specified in such definitions. Results: The results were organized into two categories of definitions: one focused on the temporal dimension and the other on the dimension of care organization. Conclusion: The paper proposes using the term "delayed discharge" and establishing a duration of 30 days to account for excess hospitalization days
Downloads
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Natalia Delmonte, Marina A. Fernández, Nikol Mayo-Puchoc, Melina L. Rosales, Clara Bohner, Sara Ardila-Gómez

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.