Hospital admissions are up according to a report released today
by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), with same
day care admissions, especially to private hospitals accounting for
a large part of the increase.
The report, Australian Hospital Statistics 2004-05,
shows there were 7 million hospital admissions in 2004-05, a 2.6%
increase over the previous financial year. The total number of days
spent in hospital was 23.8 million - an increase of 1%.
Head of the AIHW's Hospitals Unit Ms Jenny Hargreaves says that
'same day admissions rose by 2% (to 2.1 million) in public
hospitals and by 6.1% (to 1.7 million) in private hospitals.
Admissions for overnight stays, or longer, increased by 1.5% in
public hospitals (to 2.2 million), and by 1.6% (to 1 million) in
private hospitals.'
'Hospital admissions, particularly for same day care, have been
following a long term rising trend.
'Between 1995-96 and 2004-05, same day hospital admissions rose
from about 42% of the total to about 55% of the total - as a result
they now account for 49% in public hospitals and 64% in private
hospitals,' says Ms Hargreaves.
The increasing numbers of same day admissions means that the
average length of stay is declining. In 2004-05, it was 3.4 days,
compared with 3.7 days in 2000-01.
However, the average length of stay for patients staying at
least one night has remained more constant. It was 6.3 days in
2004-05.
The report also provides statistics on many other aspects of
hospital treatment, including public hospital emergency departments
which provided care for about 5.9 million patient visits during
2004-05.
About half (53%) of all emergency department visits were by men,
and young people aged 15-24 years accounted for the largest number
of visits (15%).
Overall, 69% of patients were seen on time in emergency
departments, including 100% of those needing immediate care, and
76% of those who required care within 10 minutes of arriving.
Total recurrent public hospital expenditure in 2004-05 was
estimated at $21.8 billion, an increase (after adjusting for
inflation) of 4.9% on the previous year.
31 May 2006
Further information: Ms Jenny Hargreaves AIHW,
tel. 02 6244 1121, or 0407 012 520
For media copies of the report: Publications
Officer, AIHW, tel 61 2 6244 1032.
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications
Catalogue for availability of the Australian Hospital
Statistics