Olivia Mitchell
Question:686 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children the average cost of treating patients in accident and emergency departments in each of the major Dublin teaching hospitals. [1445/04]
View answerTuesday, 27 January 2004
Questions (575)
Written answers
The following tabular statement outlines the average cost of treating such patients. The cost per attendance relates to 2002, the latest year for which data is available and is based on cost and activity information provided by each hospital.
|
Hospital |
€ |
|
Adelaide, Meath and National Children's |
205 |
|
Beaumont |
210 |
|
James Connolly Memorial |
343 |
|
Mater Misericordiae |
197 |
|
St. James's |
262 |
|
St. Vincent's |
256 |
The cost per attendance includes direct pay and non-pay costs together with allocations of various medical services, laboratories and overheads such as maintenance and administration.
There are a number of factors that influence the cost per attendance. For example, cost allocation methodology and physical layout of a department. A major factor is the number of patients attending. The number of attendances for the hospitals listed above ranges between 25,868 for the James Connolly Memorial Hospital to 72,678 for the Adelaide, Meath and National Children's Hospital.
Hospitals must always be able to treat complex emergency cases. It is a major fixed cost in the running of an accident and emergency department. This, together with the throughput issue, are the main reasons for the variation in cost per attendance outlined above.
Question No. 687 answered with QuestionNo. 659.