Decreasing inpatient length of stay at a military medical treatment facility.

This article describes an evidence-based approach to decreasing the length of stay of inpatient adults on the medicine oncology ward of a large urban military medical center. A strong and diverse team was formed, which worked together for the length of the project. A formalized approach involving weekly discharge-planning meetings with a discharge advocate as the planner, coupled with solid documentation, was adopted. There was a decrease in the average length of stay on the inpatient wards, resulting in cost savings for the facility. This approach using strong evidence can overcome institutional challenges, with a positive impact on patient care.