The length of stay (LOS) is the number of days that a patient stays in a hospital or other facility for a given episode of care. For example, if a patient is admitted for a hip replacement surgery, and is discharged after four days, the LOS is four days. A high LOS may indicate that the patient has complications, comorbidities, or delays in discharge planning. A low LOS may indicate that the patient has a smooth recovery, a low-risk profile, or an efficient transition of care. You can use benchmarks and guidelines to compare your LOS with industry standards and best practices.