[The influence of psychiatric comorbidity on the length of hospital stay of medical inpatients within the German Diagnosis Related Groups System].

The influence of psychiatric comorbidity (ICD-10 categories F1, F3, F4 and F5) on the length of hospital stay of 4936 medical inpatients of two medical departments of a hospital of tertiary care level was studied. In 994/4936 patients (20.2%) at least one F (1,3,4,5)-diagnosis had been coded. 160/994 patients (16.1%) had undergone psychosomatic consultation (CL) service treatment. The median of the time of from admission until first contact with CL-service was 3 days. Patients with psychiatric comorbidity had a significant longer hospital stay (median stay without CL-service 5 days, with CL-service 8 days) than patients with no F-diagnoses coded (4 days) (p<0.01). There were no differences as to patient complication and complexity level PCCL between the three groups. Even within a diagnosis related groups system psychiatric comorbidity has a negative effect on the length of hospital stay.