Day extra in voluntary care

By Catherine Reilly.   Acute inpatient average length of stay nationally was 4.1 days in 2012 but voluntary hospitals recorded 5.2 days for public discharges, according to the ESRI’s Activity in Acute Public Hospitals in Ireland 2012 Annual Report, published this week.   The national average length of stay of 4.1 days marked a decrease of 4.7 per cent on 2011 and an average annual decrease of 2.8 per cent since 2008. The length of stay by HSE area of hospitalisation ranged from 3.9 days in HSE South to 4.2 days in the HSE Dublin North East area. Meanwhile, more…