Briefer hospitalizations are not always best, Pennsylvania study finds

Philadelphia Inquirer, April 15, 2008

A study of Pennsylvania patients diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism found that those discharged more quickly were at greater risk of death. The researchers examined hospital billing data from the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council. They found that the patients who were discharged after four or fewer days were significantly more likely to die than those who remained in the hospital for five or more days. The study sought to examine new guidelines that recommend patients identified as being at low-risk for complications be discharged more quickly.