Tony Killeen
Ceist:57 Mr. Killeen asked the Minister for Health the extra funds, if any, which he will make available to the Mid-Western Health Board in 1995 to increase the bed complement in Ennis General Hospital. [9913/95]
Written Answers. - Mid-Western Health Board Funding.
Limerick East): In recent years, more emphasis has been placed on overall levels of service provided in general hospitals rather than on the provision of a specific number of beds. This is a reflection of the major changes in medical practice which have resulted in a reduction in the length of stay for in-patient care and the marked shift towards day case surgery and treatment of patients at out-patient level.
In looking at acute hospital service delivery I feel it is inappropriate to focus solely on in-patient beds as a measure of hospital resources. The emphasis is on overall activity levels and throughput, whether this is achieved by in-patient care, day care or out-patient attendances.
In the cases of Ennis General Hospital, the average length of stay between the years 1992 and 1994 fell from 6.78 days to 6.45 days. In the same period the number of in-patient treated increased from 4,120 to 4,815, while the number of day cases treated rose from 1,341 to 1,975. Out-patient attendances in 1994 were 15,490.