House of Assembly
Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
53
2
Parliament of South Australia
House of Assembly
published
Estimates Replies
Hospital Beds
Hospital Beds
In reply to Dr McFETRIDGE
House of Assembly
Morphett
Hospital Beds
In reply to Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (24 July 2015). (Estimates Committee A)
The Hon. J.J. SNELLING
House of Assembly
Playford
Minister for Health
Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse
Minister for the Arts
Minister for Health Industries
Hospital Beds
The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries):
1.	Hospital maintenance care patients occupying acute hospital beds are coded according to their clinical condition and are not coded as disability patients. It is not possible to accurately say the number of patients with a disability occupying acute hospital beds.
Hospital patients with a disability generally have high care needs that fluctuate throughout their admission and this can result in a longer length of stay.
2.	As above. It is not possible to accurately say the average length of stay for patients with a disability or aged care occupying acute hospital beds.
The average length of stay for maintenance care patients occupying acute hospital beds overnight in 2014- 15 was 14.9 days (as per table below).
| Separation Financial Year (long) |
Episode Of Care (D) |
Hospital (D) |
Length Of Stay—Days |
Separations |
ALOS |
| 2014/15 |
Maintenance Care |
FMC |
4,607 |
262 |
17.58 |
| 2014/15 |
Maintenance Care |
LMH |
4,257 |
302 |
14.1 |
| 2014/15 |
Maintenance Care |
Modbury |
3,980 |
267 |
14.91 |
| 2014/15 |
Maintenance Care |
Noarlunga |
2,012 |
132 |
15.24 |
| 2014/15 |
Maintenance Care |
RAH |
6,544 |
417 |
15.69 |
| 2014/15 |
Maintenance Care |
RGH |
3,148 |
177 |
17.79 |
| 2014/15 |
Maintenance Care |
TQEH |
3,026 |
289 |
10.47 |
|
|
Sum: |
27,574 |
1,846 |
14.94 |
The average length of stay for mental health patients occupying acute mental health beds overnight in 2014-15 was 14.9 days with the lowest hospital average at 4.2 days (Women's and Children's Hospital).
In 2014-15, there were 28,332 country residents occupying overnight beds in metropolitan hospitals which equates to 17 per cent of the total number of episodes. This percentage remains consistent with 2013-14.