Hospital stay figures

Press, 6 March 1989, Page 9

Hospital stay figures

PA Wellington Circulatory disease accounted for 17.5 per cent of days spent in public, non psychiatric, hospitals in 1987, the National Health Statistics Centre says. Statistics released show injury and poisoning followed at 12.7 per cent, pregnancy conditions 10.1 per cent, mental disorders 7.8, per cent and cancer 7.8 per cent of days — much the same pattern as in 1985 and 1986. Circulatory disease, which includes heart disease, was prominent because the average time spent in hospital for these conditions was 17.6 days — down from 20.1 days in 1986, the centre says. This is second only to mental disorders which had an average length of stay, in 1987, of 34.4 days (also down on 1986’s 36.6 days).

Accidents again featured prominently as a cause of hospitalisation. Male patients made up 40 per cent of 15 to 44-year-olds in hospital as a result of accidents, poisoning, or violence — over three times the corresponding figure for females and a well established pattern, the centre said. The rate of surgical operations performed in private hospitals decreased between 1986 and 1987. In particular there was a decrease in ear, nose, and throat operations, mainly in the 0 to 14 year age group. The total number of hospital beds available per head of population increased slightly from 1986 to 1987. This was the net result of a decrease of 79 public hospital beds and an increase of 115 private hospital beds, the centre said.