Hospital Length-of-Stay Prediction Using Machine Learning Algorithms—A Literature Review

Predicting hospital length of stay is critical for efficient hospital management, enabling proactive resource allocation, the optimization of bed availability, and optimal patient care. This paper explores the potential of machine learning algorithms to revolutionize hospital length-of-stay predictions, contributing to healthcare efficiency and patient care. The main objective is to identify the most effective machine learning algorithm for building a predictive model capable of predicting hospital length of stay. The bibliographic search of the existing literature on machine learning algorithms applied to hospital length of stay predictions highlighted the most relevant papers within this area of research. The papers were analyzed in terms of model types and metrics that contributed to the considerable impact on healthcare decision making. We also discuss the challenges and limitations of machine learning algorithms for predicting length of stay, and the importance of data quality and ethical considerations.