The Health bulletin [serial] - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

August, 1951 The Health Bulletin 1551,005; total governmental, 1,037,041;total nongovernmental, 419,871.Although the nongovernmental hospitalshad only 29 per cent of the bedcapacity, they accounted for 12,706,143admissions, or nearly 75 per cent of thetotal. The admissions by groups were asfollows: Federal, 1,127,937; state, 791,863;city and county, 2,397,570; nonprofitchurch-related 4,944,745; nonprofit associations,6,309,157; proprietary, 1,452,241;total governmental 4,317,370; total nongovernmental12,706,143.The general hospitals with a bedcapacity of 587,917, or 40 per cent ofthe total, provided service for the mostpeople—15,830,170, or 93 per cent of allpatients admitted. In addition, they accountedfor 2,739,212 births, or 97 percent of the total. The average dailycensus of these hospitals was 433,364,or nearly 35 per cent of the patient loadin all hospitals.In the psychiatric division, the bedcapacity was 711,921, or 49 per cent ofthe total. Nervous and mental institutionsadmitted 307,165 patients (308,055in 1949, the record) and had an averagedaily census of 687,567, a new high (675,-096 in 1949).The 1.8 per cent of the total admissionsaccounted for by mental hospitalsdoes not give a full indication of theextensive service carried out in this field,the Journal pointed out."It is necessary to take into considerationthat the psychiatric hospitals maintainan average daily census of 687,567,which is greater than the patient loadin all other hospitals combined," it explained."For the most part the hospitalizationof psychiatric patients is apublic responsibility, as evidenced bythe daily census report of 670,578 in thegovernmental hospitals compared with16, 989 in the nongovernmental group."Tuberculosis hospitals had a bed capacityof 85,746, or 5.8 per cent of thetotal. They admitted 113,275 patientsand had an average daily census of 72,-370, both new high marks.The remaining beds were in maternity,industrial, children's and othertypes of hospitals, accounting for 5.2 percent of the total.The council's report also disclosed that7,118,305 patients, or 43.5 per cent ofadmissions, received operative treatmentin 1950. A previoiis report with such information,covering 1942, showed that44.7 per cent had received operativetreatment in that year.In bed occupancy, the average of allhospitals last year was 85.3 per cent,as against 85.1 per cent in 1949. Governmentalinstitutions as a whole showeda rise to 89.8 per cent from 89.3. Thehighest rate, 95.1 per cent (94.2 in 1949),was in state hospitals, which give theirmajor service to psychiatric care. Thenongovernmental group reported a declineto an average of 74.1 per cent in1950 as compared with 74.7 per cent in1949.The average length of stay in federalhospitals last year was 26.5 days, asagainst 25.8 days the year before. Thestay in the government hospitals rangedfrom averages of 11.3 to 15 days (11.8to 15.4 in 1949). In nongovernmentalgeneral hospitals, the average was 7.9days, as against 8 days in 1949."In all activities associated with hospitaland educational services, the individualhospitals are constantly strivingto improve the standards and qualityof patient care," the Journal pointedout editorially."The hospital field has been generousin its support of educational activities,and many institutions are participatingin the training of medical students,interns, resident physicians, studentnurses, technicians and other hospitalpersonnel. At present 824 hospitals areapproved for internships and 1,102 forresidency training."Accredited professional schools ofnursing, now conducted in 1,106 hospitals,have a student enrolment of 102,-611. In addition, there are 318 hospitalschools of practical nursing in which5,971 students are now in training. Thetechnical fields are represented by 467approved schools of medical technology,30 schools of physical therapy, 24 schoolsof occupational therapy, 18 schools formedical record librarians and 283 schoolsfor x-ray technicians."