ورقة علمية / Research Paper

Problem Statement Length of hospital stay (LOS) is an important measure of hospital efficiency. Prolonged stays increase healthcare costs and risk of hospital-acquired infections. However, there is little data on LOS and its determinants among medical inpatients in Northern Sudan. Justification Understanding LOS and its predictors will help optimize hospital resource use, reduce unnecessary costs, and improve patient outcomes. General Objective To determine the average length of hospital stay and its determinants among medical inpatients at Dongola Specialized Hospital. Specific Objectives 1. To calculate the mean and median length of stay among inpatients. 2. To identify demographic and clinical factors associated with prolonged hospitalization. 3. To assess the relationship between LOS and patient outcomes. Methodology • Study Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study. • Study Area: Medical wards at Dongola Specialized Hospital. • Study Population: Adult patients admitted during the study period • Sample Size: All eligible medical records during the period. • Data Collection: Checklist covering demographic data, diagnosis, comorbidities, and LOS. • Data Analysis: SPSS used for descriptive and multivariate analyses to identify determinants. • Ethical Considerations: Ethical approval and data confidentiality.

We will obtain written informed consent from every patient before any data is collected. All records will be anonymized by removing names and using unique ID numbers instead, ensuring that no individual can be identified in the final report. Access to the data will be strictly limited to the research team, and all personal information will remain completely confidential.

By identifying why stays are prolonged, the findings can help lower the financial burden on both the healthcare system and the patients' families