Patient statistics, 2003

The rise in the number of hospital stays was about 5.4 per cent in 2003. The total number of bed days just increased slightly, and that the average length of a hospital stay still is decreasing, from 5.7 in 2002 to 5.4 days in 2003. Day cases at policlinics and hospital wards have increased by almost 15 per cent. This is the largest growth since Statistics Norway started publishing day cases in 2000.

Health regions

From 1 January 2002, the government took over the responsibility for most of the specialist health services, and organizes the activities under 5 Regional Health Authorities (RHA). These authoritiesrun the state owned general hospitals, and also have agreements with private hospitals run by foundations. In addition, they buy services from private owned commercial hospitals.

Diagnosis

At general hospitals the number of outpatient consultations amounted to nearly 3 222 000 in 2003. This is an increase of approximately 176 500 consultations from the year before, or 5.8 per cent. The figures covers consultations in hospitals owned by the central government or hospitals that have an agreement with a Regional Health Authority (publicly financed hospitals). 6 836 consultations are excluded from the tables, which covers diagnosis (ICD-10), because the patients have foreign or unknown resident.

More women than men were treated in outpatient care, 56 per cent. For women, diseases in the musculoskeletal system were the most frequent cause for treatment, followed by tumors (mainly cancer) and injuries. Next to injury, diseases in the musculoskeletal system and cardiovascular diseases were the most usual cause for treatment for men. For children less then 10 years of age

injuries, diseases of the respiratory system and congenital malformations were the most common

main diagnosis.

1 out of 7 inpatient stays was caused by cardiovascular diseases. Tumors (mainly cancer) were the most common main diagnosis, and caused 10.6 per cent of all inpatient stays in 2003. Injury and poisoning were due to 10.4 per cent of all inpatient stays.

780 000 of all inpatient stays were treatment of patients living in Norway. For women, pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium is the cause of most stays, 68 200 in 2003. Cardiovascular diseases were the most common main diagnosis for men and caused approximately 65 000 inpatient stays.

The proportion between emergency services and planned admissions were altered in direction of a small growth in planned treatments. In 2003 63 per cent of all hospital stays were acute care.

Tables:

• Table 1 Inpatient stays at general hospitals, by age and main diagnosis. 2003
• Table 2 Inpatient stays at general hospitals, by sex and main diagnosis. 2003
• Table 3 Inpatient stays, by age, sex, region and county of residence. Includes foreign residents. 2003
• Table 4 Inpatient stays and number of bed-days, by sex and age. 2001-2003
• Table 5 Inpatient stays, bed-days and bed-days per stay, by sex. 1989-2003
• Table 6 Inpatient stays and bed-days per 1000 inhabitants, by sex and age. 2001-2003
• Table 7 Inpatient stays, by health region and patients region of residence. 2003
• Table 8 Number of day cases at general hospitals, by sex and county of residence. 2003
• Table 9 Number of day cases per 1 000 inhabitants, by sex and county of residence. 2003
• Table 10 Number of day cases, by Health Region Enterprise and patient's region of residence. 2003
• Table 11 Out-patient consultations at public hospitals, by sex and diagnosis. 2003
• Table 12 Out-patient consultations at public hospitals, by age, sex and diagnosis. 2003