Location in SystemView: SystemView > Explore > Beds > Discharge Trends
In this article:
What it is
The Discharge Trends component provides a daily and historical analysis of inpatient discharges, divided by time of day, division, and ward, with direct drills to patient-level details.
It helps you monitor how discharge patterns influence hospital flow and capacity across the inpatient journey.
Why it matters
See how discharge timing impacts your hospital’s ability to admit patients efficiently.
- Identify peak discharge times and compare performance across wards and divisions.
- Recognise delays that may affect Emergency Department flow and bed availability.
- Track discharges in near real time to improve same-day turnaround.
- Benchmark current activity against 12 weeks of retrospective trends.
How to use it
Filter to focus your view
Use the filters to narrow analysis by:
- Division: Focus on a specific hospital division.
- Ward Type: Choose between all wards, or physical or virtual wards only.
- Ward: Select an individual ward to drill down to.
- Admission / Discharge Type: Focus on internal vs external admissions and discharges.
Explore discharge patterns
The Discharge Trends component presents a consolidated view of daily discharge activity and historical performance:
- Daily snapshot: View today’s total discharges, including those occurring before 10 am, alongside the current admission count.
- Historical trends: Review 12 weeks of retrospective discharge activity to identify weekday patterns and variances.
- Division and ward breakdowns: Drill into divisions or wards to compare discharge timing and frequency.
- Hourly patterns: Observe admissions and discharges by hour to assess resourcing and throughput across the day.
💡 Tip: Use the Average / Today toggle to switch charts between historical averages and live data.
- Average shows the mean number of discharges and admissions by hour for that weekday across the past 12 weeks.
- Today displays the current day’s activity in near real time, helping you compare today’s discharge timing against your usual patterns.
Explore patient-level details
You can view specific patient data in two ways:
- Click on the Today’s Discharged Patient Details button at the top of the component to view a live list of all patients discharged so far today, including timestamps and key details.
- Click any day on either the Discharges by Division and Date or Discharges by Ward and Date charts to view a historical patient list for that day.
💡 Tip: Patient-level lists can be exported to Excel for further analysis.
For step-by-step instructions, see How to export from SystemView › in the Knowledge Base.
How it works
Data updates in near real time, allowing you to see today’s discharges as they occur. The retrospective charts automatically refresh daily to include the latest 12 weeks of activity.
Calculation logic
- Average discharges per day = mean daily discharges for that weekday over the previous 12 weeks.
- Before 10 am / after 9 pm metrics = number of patients discharged within those time windows.
- ED admission delay indicator = number of patients who waited > 1 hour for admission from ED between 7–10 am.
How it helps you
- Spot bottlenecks: Identify late-day discharge peaks that may slow patient flow.
- Compare performance: Benchmark wards and divisions against historical averages.
- Monitor efficiency: Track discharges before 10 am to gauge flow readiness.
- Coordinate with ED: Understand how ward discharge timing influences ED admission delays.
- Drill deeper: Access patient-level data directly from daily discharges or historical charts.
Best practices
How often should I use it?
| What to Do | How Often | Who Should Do It | Why It Helps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Review daily discharge performance | Daily |
Nurse Unit Managers, Bed Managers | Identify and address delays affecting same-day flow |
| Compare 12-week trends | Weekly | Divisional Managers, Operations Teams | Monitor sustained improvements or recurring issues |
| Review before-10 am discharges | Each morning | Bed Coordination Teams, Patient Flow Managers | Support early discharge planning and patient transfers |
| Review after-9pm discharges | Weekly | Nurse Unit Managers, Divisional Leads | Identify potential issues linked to reduced resourcing or incomplete administrative processes |
Pair with these components
- Ward Overview: cross-check occupancy and discharge timing against current census.
- LoS Trends & Ward Dynamics: see how discharge patterns align with patient length of stay and turnover.
- Inpatient Flow Monitor: monitor current patient flow and bed occupancy alongside discharge performance.
Tips for success
- Use the Average / Today toggle to compare current activity against the historical 12-week trend.
- Drill down by division or ward to highlight where late discharges are recurring.
- Build a MyHub dashboard combining this component with Ward Overview and Flow Monitor for a complete view of patient movement. See How to create a Hub Page › for more.
Want a detailed breakdown?
If you’d like a more detailed look at every filter, chart, and tile in this component, you can download the Discharge Trends Guide below.
📎 Download: Beds > Discharge Trends Guide
❓FAQs
Q. Can I measure inpatient discharge rates?
A. Yes. The Discharge Trends component tracks discharge performance by division and ward, showing current-day activity and 12 weeks of historical trends.
Q. How can I see the number of admissions on my ward?
A. Within Discharge Trends, select your division and ward, then scroll to the Average / Today’s Discharges and Admissions by Hour chart. Toggle between Average and Today to compare daily trends with current activity.