This should just work automatically, Tableau should sum the LOS, all you need is arrange your sheet the way you want. What exactly doesn't work with trying to sum LOS?

I briefly looked at your data and it looks like there are duplicate records from LOS point of view. Is that what is causing the problem?

I don't think there is SUM DISTINCT option.

Removing duplicates from data is one way to go, otherwise you'll need to find a way to suppress them or neutralise their effect. For example, if there is a recognisable pattern, i.e. if there are exactly two records for each stay, then halving the result will give the correct number.

This is a snapshot of your data for one customer - last three records apparently relate to the same admission-discharge event, thus tripling the LOS in your calculation.

One way to do it involves a bit of acrobatics with table calculations (see attached workbook with a solution).

The idea is to partition the data (inside table calculations, not the actual data) in such a way that all treatments within one stay will represent a block, and then length of stay is calculated for each block and then LOS from all blocks are added for each patient. Same for number of treatments.

To accomplish this I needed a unique identifier for each patient, so I did the Full Name = Last Name & First Name, but there will be a problem if you have more than one John Smith in your real data. Unique person ID would solve that.

You can try changing data source for attached workbook to point to your real data, or re-creating calculated fields, (both formulae and partitioning) and sheet layout in your workbook. Explaining how it works in Tableau is not easy and requires solid knowledge of table calculations to understand. Let me know if you have any questions.

The subject of table calculations is a bit of a "rocket science". I have to admit that I often use trial and error to get table calcs to work, there seem to be a big element of "voodoo" in mastering them.

Anyway, here are some resources that can help, in order of increasing complexity:

http://www.tableausoftware.com/learn/tutorials/on-demand/table-calculations#tour

http://onlinehelp.tableausoftware.com/v7.0/pro/online/en-us/calculations_tablecalculations_understanding_addressing.html

http://www.tableausoftware.com/sites/default/files/pages/table_calcs_in_tableau_6.pdf

http://www.tableausoftware.com/table-calculations

http://community.tableau.com/thread/119212

Unfortunately, there is no unified "mother of all tutorials", or a book, that would cover most, if not all, aspects of TC.

SILVIO MARTINEZ wrote:

...

How can the below string help with the unique person ID?

 

str([Medical #]) + ' - ' + str([Admission Date])+ ' - ' + str([Treatment Date])+ ' - ' + str([Discharge Date])

It will not help, because this method will split one person into multiple versions of oneself - one for each treatment. The ID must be the same for all treatments and admissions, identifying the person.

SILVIO MARTINEZ wrote:

 

Thx.  What do you think about taking those Tableau Classroom courses?

Much depends on who does the teaching, who else is in the class with you, whether you prefer instructor training or own pace, etc..

The one I attended had more practice at building the required vizes, and less of discussions and explanations of how things work. It is neither good nor bad, all depends on what you want to learn.