Hospital admissions

Introduction

In the 2004-05 financial year there were approximately 1,998,000 admissions to New South Wales hospitals among adults aged 16 years and over.[1] To monitor the quality of care received in public hospitals, in 2006 the New South Wales Population Health Survey asked respondents: In the last 12 months, have you stayed for at least one night in hospital? Overall, what do you think of the care you received at this hospital? If care was rated as Fair or Poor, respondents were also asked: Could you briefly describe why you rated the care you received as Fair or Poor?

Results

Admissions to hospitals

In 2006, the New South Wales Population Health Survey estimated that about 14.1 per cent of adults were admitted to hospital on one or more occasions in the previous 12 months. A significantly higher proportion of females (15.4 per cent) than males (12.7 per cent) were admitted to hospital. Among males, a significantly lower proportion of adults aged 16-24 years (5.5 per cent), and a significantly higher proportion of adults aged 65-74 years (19.7 per cent) and 75 years and over (32.6 per cent), were admitted to hospital, compared with the overall adult male population. Among females, a significantly lower proportion of adults aged 16-24 years (8.3 per cent) and 45-54 years (11.7 per cent), and a significantly higher proportion of adults aged 25-34 years (22.1 per cent) and 75 years and over (22.4 per cent), were admitted to hospital, compared with the overall adult female population.

There was no significant variation in hospital admissions between adults in rural areas and urban areas, or by level of socioeconomic disadvantage. A higher proportion of adults in the Greater Western Health Area (18.5 per cent) were admitted to hospital, compared with the overall adult population. Rates of hospital admissions have not varied significantly between 1997 and 2006.

Rating of hospital care

Those who were admitted to hospital were asked to rate the care they received. Overall, 43.5 per cent rated their care as excellent, 28.8 per cent as very good, 17.9 per cent as good, 5.9 per cent as fair, and 3.9 per cent as poor. Responses of excellent, very good, and good were combined into a positive rating of care.

Overall, 90.2 per cent of adults rated their care positively. There was no significant variation between males and females. A significantly lower proportion of adults aged 16-24 years (73.9 per cent) rated their care positively, compared with the overall adult population. There was no significant variation in ratings of positive care between adults in rural areas and urban areas, or among health areas, or by level of socioeconomic disadvantage. Overall, the proportion of adults who rated their hospital care positively has not varied significantly between 1997 and 2006.

The main reasons for rating care as fair or poor were: excessive waiting time for care (23.9 per cent), poor attitude of clinical staff (15.7 per cent), poor quality accommodation (15.0 per cent), not enough staff (11.3 per cent), poor technical skill of clinical staff (11.1 per cent), communication problems (8.1 per cent), hospital could not offer required care (8.7 per cent), inadequate medication or management (4.6 per cent), and poor or inadequate food (1.1 per cent).

References

Inpatient Statistics Collection 2005-06 (HOIST). Centre for Epidemiology and Research, NSW Department of Health.

Graphs

Source:	New South Wales Population Health Survey 2006 (HOIST). Centre for Epidemiology and Research, NSW Department of Health.
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Produced by:	Centre for Epidemiology and Research, Population Health Division, NSW Department of Health.
Last updated on:	1 July 2007