Fatores de atraso na alta hospitalar em hospitais de ensino / Reasons for discharge delays in teaching hospitals

RESUMO

OBJETIVO Analisar os motivos de atraso na alta hospitalar de pacientes internados em enfermarias de clínica médica. MÉTODOS Foram analisados 395 prontuários de pacientes consecutivos das enfermarias de clínica médica de dois hospitais públicos de ensino Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais e Hospital Odilon Behrens. Foi utilizado o Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol para definir o momento a partir do qual as anotações do prontuário permitiam concluir que a permanência no hospital não mais era adequada. O intervalo entre esse momento e a data da alta hospitalar efetivada definiu o total de dias de atraso na alta hospitalar. Foi utilizado, sistematicamente, instrumento para categorizar os motivos de atraso da alta hospitalar, tendo sido realizada análise de frequências. RESULTADOS O atraso na alta hospitalar ocorreu em 60,0% das 207 internações do Hospital das Clínicas e em 58,0% das 188 internações do Hospital Odilon Behrens. O atraso por paciente foi em média de 4,5 dias no primeiro e 4,1 dias no segundo, o que corresponde à taxa de ocupação de 23,0% e 28,0% em cada hospital, respectivamente. Os principais motivos de atraso nos dois hospitais foram, respectivamente espera para realização de exames complementares (30,6% e 34,7%) ou para liberação dos laudos dos exames (22,4% e 11,9%) e os relacionados à responsabilidade médica (36,2% e 26,1%), compreendendo a demora na discussão do caso clínico e na tomada de decisão clínica e dificuldades nas interconsultas, respectivamente (20,4% e 9,1%). CONCLUSÕES Foi constatado percentual elevado de atraso na alta hospitalar nos dois hospitais. O atraso foi devido principalmente a fatores relacionados a processos, que podem ser melhorados por intervenções da equipe assistencial e dos ...

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE To analyze the causes of delay in hospital discharge of patients admitted to internal medicine wards. METHODS We reviewed 395 medical records of consecutive patients admitted to internal medicine wards of two public teaching hospitals Hospital das Clínicas of the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais and Hospital Odilon Behrens. The Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol was used to define the moment at which notes in the medical records indicated hospital stay was no longer appropriate and patients could be discharged. The interval between this estimated time and actual discharge was defined as the total number of days of delay in hospital discharge. An instrument was used to systematically categorize reasons for delay in hospital discharge and frequencies were analyzed. RESULTS Delays in discharge occurred in 60.0% of 207 hospital admissions in the Hospital das Clínicas and in 58.0% of 188 hospital admissions in the Hospital Odilon Behrens. Mean delay per patient was 4.5 days in the former and 4.1 days in the latter, corresponding to 23.0% and 28.0% of occupancy rates in each hospital, respectively. The main reasons for delay in the two hospitals were, respectively, waiting for complementary tests (30.6% versus 34.7%) or for results of performed tests to be released (22.4% versus 11.9%) and medical-related accountability (36.2% versus 26.1%) which comprised delays in discussing the clinical case and in clinical decision making and difficulties in providing specialized consultation (20.4% versus 9.1%). CONCLUSIONS Both hospitals showed a high percentage of delay in hospital discharge. The delays were mainly related to processes that could be improved by interventions by care teams and managers. The impact on mean length of stay and hospital occupancy rates was significant and troubling in a scenario of relative shortage of beds and long waiting lists for hospital admission. .