Lengths of stay and discharge transitions from hospitals to post-acute care are climbing, according to the American Hospital Association and industry reports.
The scope of discharge delays depends on the source. In December, the AHA found patient stays increased by 19 percent between 2019 and 2022. For discharges to post-acute facilities, this statistic is 24 percent.
A July 25 report from WellSky, a healthcare software company, revealed that average lengths of stay increased 12 percent between 2019 and 2022 for hospitalized patients transitioning to skilled nursing facilities and 11 percent for home health discharges.