Understanding Flow Length of Stay (Flow LoS)
Flow LoS helps teams spot patients staying longer than expected and keep wards flowing smoothly.
Flow Length of Stay (Flow LoS) is a dynamic measure used across the Beds domain to show how long a patient can stay in a ward before they begin to affect patient flow.
It links a ward’s open capacity to its expected admissions for each day of the week, helping teams quickly identify potential bottlenecks and prioritise discharge planning.
In this article:
- How Flow LoS works
- Flow LoS categories
- Where you'll see Flow LoS in SystemView
- Using Flow LoS in practice
- Why it matters
How Flow LoS works
Flow LoS is a guide that helps teams understand how long patients can typically stay in a ward before it begins to affect flow.
It’s based on how many beds are open and how many new patients are usually expected that day, using a simple formula:
Flow LoS = Ward Capacity ÷ Expected Admissions |
- Ward capacity = Number of open inpatient beds
- Expected admissions = Number of new patients expected that day (based on historical data)
For example, if a ward has 20 open beds and expects 5 admissions on a Monday, its Flow LoS = 20 ÷ 5 = 4 days.
If a patient stays longer than this threshold, it signals potential congestion unless other patients are discharged sooner.
💡Flow LoS helps highlight where capacity pressures might arise — use it to guide discussions about flow and discharge priorities.
Dynamic and ward-specific
Flow LoS values change by ward and by day of the week because capacity and demand vary.
Weekends usually have fewer planned admissions, meaning a higher Flow LoS, while busy weekdays tend to lower it.
SystemView continuously updates Flow LoS calculations so staff always see current, accurate values.
Flow LoS categories
Flow LoS is used to classify patients based on how their current length of stay compares with their ward’s Flow LoS.
These categories help teams see at a glance which patients may be affecting bed flow.
| Category | Definition | What it means |
| 🔵 OK (LoS < Flow LoS) | Patient’s stay is below the Flow LoS. | Stay is within the threshold for maintaining patient flow. |
| 🌕 Passive Bed Risk | Patient’s stay is above but less than double the Flow LoS. | Patient is starting to exceed the ideal stay; focus discharge planning. |
| 🔴 Passive Bed | Patient’s stay is double or more the Flow LoS. | Patient is likely contributing to reduced capacity; may need complex or multidisciplinary case management. |
💡Tip: Use colour coding (blue = OK, amber = risk, red = passive) to quickly identify which patients need attention during ward rounds or huddles.
Where you’ll see Flow LoS in SystemView
Inpatient Flow Monitor
The Inpatient Flow Monitor > Hospital Overview and Division Overview components visualise occupied, reserved, and available beds across wards.
Patients are colour-coded by Flow LoS category so you can instantly see how many are within Flow LoS, at risk, or in passive beds.
This view helps leadership and flow teams understand whether discharge activity is keeping pace with admissions
Complex Patients
Flow LoS appears across the Admitted Patient Register, Complex Patients Register and Escalation List components to flag patients approaching or exceeding their ward’s threshold.
Because these views also include Risk of Hospitalisation (RoH) scores, teams can weigh readmission risk against the need to free bed capacity and plan safe, timely discharges.
💡 Tip: Filter by Flow LoS category in these tables to focus reviews on patients who may be driving bed pressure
Ward View
The Ward Overview and Ward Demand components display a table of all current inpatients, sorted by length of stay, with Flow LoS colour indicators. These tables combine demographics, length of stay, and Risk of Hospitalisation (RoH) data.
Flow LoS categories are displayed beside each patient, making it easy to spot those who are under, approaching, or exceeding the threshold - supporting resource allocation, ward rounds, and escalation planning.
These components also display the real-time Flow LoS measure for that ward, allowing Nurse Unit Managers and Bed Managers to align discharges with expected admissions.
For a closer look at where Flow LoS appears across SystemView — including screenshots and detailed examples - see the Flow LoS End User Guide (PDF).
Using Flow LoS in practice
1. Start the right conversations
Use the Passive Bed Risk and Passive Bed flags as prompts to ask why a patient’s stay is prolonged - clinical, social, or administrative factors might be in play.
2. Understand daily variability
Flow LoS differs by day - a Monday might have a shorter LoS threshold than a Saturday due to fewer admissions.
3. Combine with other metrics
Consider Flow LoS alongside RoH and other SystemView data. A patient might exceed Flow LoS but have a high RoH score, suggesting early discharge may not be appropriate.
4. Keep context in mind
Flow LoS highlights pressure points, not performance issues. Some wards (e.g. rehabilitation or palliative care) will naturally have longer stays.
💡 Tip: Flow LoS is most powerful when used to guide discussions — not to measure performance. Pair it with RoH and operational insight to support balanced, safe decisions.
Why it matters
Flow LoS helps teams recognise when patients are staying longer than the ward can sustain, supporting proactive discharge planning and smoother patient flow. It’s a guide to complement clinical judgement - not replace it - helping hospitals manage capacity, reduce congestion, and deliver timely, patient-centred care.