A health statistic for length of stay by reporting period

Managers of long-term care organizations lack usable information about patterns of stay, because the time spent by residents typically exceeds the length of reporting and reimbursement periods. Formulas for estimating lengths of stay often yield unstable estimates of long-term stays. Consequently, little insight is gained into changes that may be occurring in stay patterns as the organization adapts its service processes to shifts in markets. An alternative length of stay statistic is proposed from which patterns of stay can be more clearly discerned. Examples utilizing both simulated and field data are presented to highlight the advantages associated with the new statistic.