Admitted patients

Admitted patients are people who undergo a public or private hospital’s formal admission process to receive treatment and/or care. The types of care provided include surgical care, medical care, intensive care, newborn care, rehabilitation care, palliative care, and mental health care.

Explore more details on the care provided to admitted patients via the links beside the green icons at the bottom of the page.

 

There were 11.6 million hospitalisations in 2021–22. A rate of 405 hospitalisations per 1,000 population.

In 2021–22:

• there were 11.6 million hospitalisations – a rate of 405 hospitalisations per 1,000 population
• there were 31.8 million days of patient care
• the average length of stay was 2.7 days
• 671 public hospitals provided admitted patient care services
• 92% of hospitalisations were classified as episodes of Acute care
• nearly 1 in 4 (24%, 1.7 million) of same-day acute hospitalisations in all hospitals were for Care involving dialysis
• people aged 65 and over accounted for 43% of hospitalisations and 49% of patient days.

 

Between January 2020 and June 2022, there were over 270,700 hospitalisations involving a COVID-19 diagnosis (2,600 in 2019–20; 4,700 in 2020–21; and 263,400 in 2021–22).

 

Changes over time

Over the last ten years to 2021–22:

• the number of hospitalisations increased from 9.4 million to 11.6 million
• the rate of hospitalisation increased slightly from 391 per 1,000 population to 405 per 1,000 population
• the number of patient days increased from 27.7 million patient days to 31.8 million patient days
• the average length of stay decreased from 3.0 days to 2.7 days
• from 2012–13 to 2016–17, there was an annual average increase for hospitalisations with Acute care by 4.0% in public hospitals and 1.9% in private hospitals; this rising trend continued from 2017–18 to 2021–22 by 0.7% in public hospitals and 1.8% in private hospitals.

 

Emergency department activity data are available in the Emergency department care activity area of the MyHospitals site.

Elective surgery activity are available in the Elective surgery activity area of the MyHospitals site.

Data about Australia's healthcare system are available in the Australia's health performance area of the AIHW website.