Bed utilization study in paediatric medical patients at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Barbados
Noah, P.K.; St John, M.A.
West Indian Medical Journal 36(3): 159-162
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0043-3144 PMID: 3424793 Document Number: 286945
Details of a bed utilisation study of 1,654 paediatric medical ward admissions to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Barbados, during 1983 are analysed. Forty-one per cent of admissions had a respiratory problem, 14% had infectious diseases, 9% central nervous system conditions, and 36% had diseases of other systems. Analysis of hospital stay revealed that 20% of patients spent less than 24 hours and these mostly for bronchial asthma (31%), respiratory tract infections (15%), and gastroenteritis (10%). Most long-stay patients had either congenital heart disease (12%), social problems (11%) or diabetes mellitus (10%). We recommend that the establishment of a short-stay unit could eliminate 20% of admissions, who spent less than 24 hours. A further 21% (poisoning and gastroenteritis) could be significantly reduced with good health education.