State of our public hospitals report
More people were admitted to Australian public hospitals in 2005-06 than in any previous year, according to the latest State of our public hospitals report.
Around 4.5 million people were admitted to Australian public hospitals in 2005-06, 4.4% more than the previous year. Private hospital admissions also rose by 3.8% to around 2.8 million.
The public hospital workforce also continues to grow, with the number of salaried medical officers increasing by 6.8%, and the number of nurses by 5.3%.
The report shows that the most common reason for admission to a public hospital was for renal dialysis with over 726,000 admissions last year. Renal dialysis is used to treat kidney disease – and diabetes is the leading cause of end-stage kidney disease.
The Australian Healthcare Association said the report highlighted that many of the conditions driving demand for public hospital care are largely preventable or treatable in the community.
It said the report demonstrates that our public hospital system is already under pressure and struggling to meet demand. Unless some major changes are made to the way in which we fund and deliver health care, our hospital system will not continue to deliver the high standard of care that Australians expect and deserve.
For more information visit www.health.gov.au/ahca
