Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (30)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by LORENZO, S.
Right arrow Articles by SUNOL, R.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by LORENZO, S.
Right arrow Articles by SUNOL, R.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

International Journal for Quality in Health Care 7:213-218 (1995)
© 1995 International Society for Quality in Health Care

An Overview of Spanish Studies on Appropriateness of Hospital Use

S. LORENZO* and R. SUNOL{dagger}

* National School of Public Health Madrid, Spain
{dagger} Avedis Donabedian Foundation Barcelona, Spain

This paper is an overview of hospital utilization review in Spain. Most of the hospital utilization studies have used the Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol as the review instrument. The studies, mainly retrospective, started in the late 1980s and used different adaptations of the medical-surgical version of the protocol. The level of inappropriate use detected ranges between 2.1 and 44.8% for admissions, and from 15 to 43.9% for inappropriate days of stay. The variability in the detected degree of inappropriateness may be due to the differences in the review instrument, the use of the override option, the patients included in the study, or the setting.

The determinants of inappropriate hospitalization in Spain are mainly related to access to the different levels of care and to the conservative attitude of the physicians. Future utilization review in Spain should be followed by the development of specific interventions to correct the current pattern of overutilization.

Keywords: Utilization review, appropriateness, hospital use, Spain

Received for publication April 6, 1995. Accepted for publication June 13, 1995.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J. Epidemiol. Community HealthHome page
P. Anton, S. Peiro, J. M Aranaz, R. Calpena, A. Compan, E. Leutscher, and V. Ruiz
Effectiveness of a physician-oriented feedback intervention on inappropriate hospital stays
J Epidemiol Community Health, February 1, 2007; 61(2): 128 - 134.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Int J Qual Health CareHome page
L. J. G. G. PANIS, M. GOOSKENS, F. W. S. M. VERHEGGEN, P. POP, and M. H. PRINS
Predictors of inappropriate hospital stay: a clinical case study
Int. J. Qual. Health Care, February 1, 2003; 15(1): 57 - 66.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Int J Qual Health CareHome page
L. J. G. G. Panis, F. W.S.M. Verheggen, P. Pop, and M. H. Prins
Assessing inappropriate hospital stay in Internal Medicine using the Dutch Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol
Int. J. Qual. Health Care, October 1, 2002; 14(5): 431 - 432.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Int J Qual Health CareHome page
C. MOYA-RUIZ, S. PEIRO, and R. MENEU
Effectiveness of feedback to physicians in reducing inappropriate use of hospitalization: a study in a Spanish hospital
Int. J. Qual. Health Care, August 1, 2002; 14(4): 305 - 312.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 StrokeHome page
A. van Straten, J.H.P. van der Meulen, G.A.M. van den Bos, and M. Limburg
Length of Hospital Stay and Discharge Delays in Stroke Patients
Stroke, January 1, 1997; 28(1): 137 - 140.
[Abstract] [Full Text]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.