The potential for reducing inappropriate hospital admissions : a study of health benefits and costs in a department of internal medicine

Abstract

Inappropriate hospital admissions are defined as those which do not result in health benefit for the patient or in such benefit that could have been obtained on a lower care level. Studies from many parts of the world have reported high rates of such admissions. It is commonly believed that they represent a potential for significant cost reductions. However, this assumes that they can be identified at the time of admission, and, furthermore, that their cost is comparable to that of appropriate admissions. These assumptions were investigated in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University Hospital of Tromsø.