Average length of stay in hospitals

The average length of stay is essentially an important and appropriate index for hospital bed administration. However, from the position that it is not necessarily an appropriate index in Japan, an analysis is made of the difference in the health care facility system between the United States and Japan. Concerning the length of stay in Japanese hospitals, the median appeared to better represent the situation. It is emphasized that in order for the average length of stay to become an appropriate index, there is need to promote regional health, especially facility planning.