A Study on Out-Patient Department to In-Patient Department Conversion Rate, in a Tertiary Care Hospital, Gangtok

Kreeti Pal, Dr. Ashish Kumar, Anusika Sharma, Dr. Sanjay Kumar

Abstract: The Out- patient Department (OPD) is the primary point of entry for cases seeking medical services in a hospital. Cases from various locales with different health concerns come to the hospital seeking medical attention. The conversion rate from the Out- patient department (OPD) to the In- patient Department (IPD) provides insights into the number of patients who have actually been converted into the IPD which will impact the overall profit of the hospital. This study aims to assess the Out-Patient Department (OPD) to In-Patient Department (IPD) conversion rate as a key performance indicator in a tertiary care hospital in Gangtok. The objectives were to identify the total number of OPD visits, the number of patients admitted through OPD, and to calculate the overall conversion rate. An observational study design was adopted, and conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Gangtok, covering data from January to December 2023. It includes 12 clinical departments that admit directly from OPD, such as Medicine, Surgery, Paediatrics, and Obstetrics & Gynaecology. Departments like Emergency and Ophthalmology were excluded. Data were collected from the Medical Records Department (MRD) with proper administrative permission and analysed using standard statistical methods to determine department-wise conversion rates. A total of 107,773 OPD visits were recorded, out of which 12,146 patients were admitted, yielding an overall conversion rate of 11.2%. General Medicine (24.08%), Paediatrics (21.23%), and Surgery (13.39%) had the highest conversion rates. Departments like Neurosurgery, despite fewer OPD visits, showed high conversion percentages, indicating critical case severity. In contrast, departments such as Dental and Dermatology showed minimal conversions. This study highlights the significance of tracking OPD to IPD conversions for evaluating clinical efficiency, resource allocation, and revenue optimization. The insights can support informed decision-making to enhance hospital operations and patient care outcomes.

Keywords: conversion rate, OPD, IPD, Tertiary Care Hospital

How to Cite?: Kreeti Pal, Dr. Ashish Kumar, Anusika Sharma, Dr. Sanjay Kumar, "A Study on Out-Patient Department to In-Patient Department Conversion Rate, in a Tertiary Care Hospital, Gangtok", Volume 14 Issue 8, August 2025, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 22-25, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR25731103218, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR25731103218