Level of Care Appropriateness in VA Inpatient Surgery Cases.

Purpose Of Study: Within the Veterans Health Administration, utilization management (UM) focuses on reducing unnecessary or inappropriate hospitalizations by applying evidence-based criteria to evaluate whether the patient is placed in the right level of care. This study examined inpatient surgery cases to classify reasons for not meeting criteria and to identify the appropriate level of care for admissions and subsequent bed days of care.

Primary Practice Settings: There were 129 VA Medical Centers in which inpatient UM reviews were performed during that time, of which 109 facilities had UM reviews conducted in Surgery Service.

Delays in Diagnosis, Treatment, and Surgery: Root Causes, Actions Taken, and Recommendations for Healthcare Improvement.

Objectives: Although patient safety continues to be a priority in the U.S. healthcare system, delays in diagnosis, treatment, or surgery still led to adverse events for patients.