Public hospital beds drop while patients treated rise
The number of public hospital beds has dropped almost 30% since the introduction of Medicare, while the number of patients being treated has risen.
A study in the Australian Health Review shows that in many areas, there has been a significant shift to the private hospital sector which now provides about half of all elective admissions.
The article argues that this is partly due to funding constraints in the public sector which means that public hospitals are unable to meet the increased demand from the community for health care.
![Dandenong Mayor [left] stands next to aged care resident and aged care staff member](https://agedcareguide-assets.imgix.net/news/articles/wp/belv__2204.jpg?fm=pjpg&w=370)
![Dandenong Mayor [left] stands next to aged care resident and aged care staff member](https://agedcareguide-assets.imgix.net/news/articles/wp/belv__2204.jpg?fm=pjpg&w=520&format=auto&q=65)
