Rehab center cuts LOS with interdisciplinary teams.

Faced with an average length of stay (LOS) a full twenty days longer than the national average for spinal cord-injured patients, case managers at one hospital took advantage of their rehab center's existing spirit of interdisciplinary cooperation to foster a pathway that would bring LOS in line. The pathway team rejected a discipline-specific approach, choosing instead to break the pathway down by areas of outcome for the patient. By focusing on outcomes rather than specific responsibilities, members of the spinal cord team are encouraged to act collaboratively in helping patients achieve positive outcomes. Staff perform concurrent monitoring of patient compliance with the pathway in an effort to collect outcomes measures beyond LOS and cost per case.