BUSY HOSPITAL YEAR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19947, 16 May 1928, Page 14

BUSY HOSPITAL YEAR.

"THE AUCKLAND INSTITUTION. INCREASE IN PATIENTS. BUILDING REQUIREMENTS. AN ADMINISTRATIVE BLOCK.

The number of patients admitted to tho Hospital during the 12 months «nded March 31, was 8711, including 34 tbabies born in hospital. The number of "patients remaining in hospital at the end of the previous 12 months was 582, making a total of 9293 in-patients treated during the year. This showed an increase of 830 compared with the previous year. These iigures were furnished by the medical superintendent, Dr. C. E. Maguire, in his annual report to the Hospital Board yesterday. Deaths numbered 574, and of these 77 cccurred within 24 hours of admission. The death rate was 5.34 per cent. Tho average stay in hospital was 23.32 days. The average number of patients in hospital a day was 565.06, and the largest number of patients in hospital on one day >vas 622. A total of 6891 operations was performed, including major and minor operations on in-patients and out-patients. 1A total of 6492 anaesthetics, local and general, were administered, and no death occurred under anaesthesia.

In the casualty department 3230 patients were treated during the year. The department was still very cramped, notwithstanding that it was moved into larger quarters during the year. The time was approaching when a proper outpatient department would have to be instituted. This should be incorporated in an administrative block, such as the one recently opened at the Wellington Hospital.

The examinations in the bacteriological and pathological department totalled 23,347, compared with 21,078 for the previous year. The number of photographic examinations in the X-ray department was 5037, compared with 4142 during the previous year. The number of patients ■treated in the massage department was 3318.

Discussing future needs, Dr. Maguire said covered passage-ways between the various hospital buildings were very necessary, and would make the work of the staff much easier. What was more important, they would obviate patients, requiring transport from various wards to the X-ray and massage departments, being exposed to bad weather. The necessity for an administrative block was obvious, stated the report. It should be built at the entrance of the hospital and should accommodate all the offices, out-patient department and the dental hospital. The main entrance to the hospital should be through this administrative block, and should form the only entrance for visitors. At the present time, the hospital was inundated with visitors at visiting times. They came in their hundreds, and impeded considerably the work of the institution. Under present conditions, with points of entry all. round the hospital grounds, no check could be Icept on the number of visitors, and no efficient ticket system could be put in operation.