According to the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project - an organization that publishes longitudinal hospital care data in the US - hospital inpatient care accounts for more than one-third of the total cost of healthcare in the United States. This makes it a significant driver in the rising cost of managing disease. Although hospital inpatient stays are on the decline for many population groups, there is relentless pressure to increase the value and efficiency of a patient’s time spent in a hospital. Efficiency initiatives are evident in every area of a hospital. The audiology department is no exception.
