Patient statistics, 2004

The rise in the number of inpatient stays during 2004 was about 1.7 per cent, or 13 000. The total number of inpatient hospital stays was 796 500. From 2002 to 2003 this growth was 5.4 per cent.

The number of day cases increased by 40 000, or 9.5 per cent, from 2003 to 2004. The rise in the number of outpatient consultations was about 4.4 per cent, or 140 000.

The trend towards shorter stays in hospitals has continued. In 2004, the average length of stay for both men and women was 5.2 days.

Health regions

As of 1 January 2002, the responsibility for most parts of the specialist health service was transferred to the central government, and the activities were organised as five regional health enterprises (RHF). These enterprises run the state-owned general hospitals and have entered into agreements with private hospitals run by foundations. In addition, they buy services from commercial hospitals.

During 2004, the regional health enterprise for western Norway had the largest increase in day cases and outpatient consultations in relative terms. This health region also had a stronger growth than average for inpatient stays. In comparison, the regional health enterprise for northern Norway only had a slight increase in activities in the same period, both with regard to inpatient stays in hospital, day cases and outpatient consultations.

Commercial hospitals

The proportion of publicly paid inpatient hospital stays at commercial hospitals was reduced from 3.1 per cent to 2.9 per cent from 2003 to 2004. However, the share of day cases increased from 2.6 to 4.3 per cent. Privately financed stays in commercial hospitals are not included in the patient statistics.

Diagnosis

The distribution of hospital stays by diagnosis has remained stable over the years. In 2004, one in seven inpatient stays was for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, while one in ten inpatient stays was for the treatment of neoplasm and injuries. The main diagnoses for day cases were diseases of the muscular-skeletal system, connective tissue diseases and diseases of the eye and adnexa. The main diagnoses for outpatients were injuries and poisoning and diseases of the muscular-skeletal system and connective tissue.

Background

Statistics Norway's patient statistics are based on data from the Norwegian Patient Register, which is owned by the Ministry of Health and Care Services and run by Sintef Health Research. Only general hospitals are included in the patient statistics. The Norwegian Patient Register also includes some other small institutions with 3 700 inpatient hospital stays, 2 800 day cases and 12 000 outpatient consultations in total in 2004. Healthy newborns are also excluded from the patient statistics.

Tables:

• Table 1 Inpatient stays at general hospitals, by age and main diagnosis. 2004
• Table 2 Inpatient stays at general hospitals, by sex and main diagnosis. 2004
• Table 3 Inpatient stays, by age, sex, region and county of residence. Includes foreign residents. 2004
• Table 4 Inpatient stays and number of bed-days, by sex and age. 2002-2004
• Table 5 Inpatient stays, bed-days and bed-days per stay, by sex. 1989-2004
• Table 6 Inpatient stays and bed-days per 1000 inhabitants, by sex and age. 2002-2004
• Table 7 Inpatient stays, by health region and patients region of residence. 2004
• Table 8 Number of day cases at general hospitals, by sex and county of residence. 2004
• Table 9 Number of day cases per 1 000 inhabitants, by sex and county of residence. 2004
• Table 10 Number of day cases, by Health Region Enterprise and patients region of residence. 2004
• Table 11 Out-patient consultations at public hospitals, by sex and diagnosis. 2004
• Table 12 Out-patient consultations at public hospitals, by age, sex and diagnosis. 2004