OBJECTIVES: Among the strategies to ensure the sustainability of National Health Services, we investigated the organizational implications of an early discharge strategy vs standard hospitalization for patients admitted to infectious diseases departments in Italy and Spain.

METHODS: Based on experts’ opinion and literature review, Skin and Soft Tissues Infections and Osteomyelitis were identified as appropriate pathologies to consider for an early discharge strategy. A further scenario considered also DRGs related to endocarditis. The total number of hospitalizations of the above mentioned pathologies was performed through the analysis of online databases of National Ministries of Health (2015) based on correspondent DRGs. We calculated the likely differential number of annual inpatient days in two scenarios: standard hospitalization vs early discharge. Considering the national annual bed occupancy rate in the two national contexts, we calculated the possible reduction in terms of number of beds at a national level and, based on literature review, the likely reduction of hospital acquired infections considering hospital’s length of stay.

RESULTS: The estimated annual number of cases eligible for early discharge is 5,508 in Italy and 5,685 in Spain. The possible reduction of number of beds accredited with National Health Services would be between -138 and -58 in Italy; and -85 and -27 in Spain. The likely yearly hospital acquired infections avoided due to the early discharge strategy are between -263 and -111 in Italy; and -159 and -51 in Spain.

CONCLUSIONS: An early discharge strategy for patients admitted in Infectious Diseases departments in Italy and Spain is expected to allow an improvement of the efficiency of National Health Services, without affecting the clinical effectiveness, resulting in additional benefits due to a reduction in the incidence of hospital acquired infections.