Effort to reduce emergency admissions
Monday, 8 February 2010 16:13
HSE Chief Executive Professor Brendan Drumm has said the HSE hopes to reduce the number of emergency admissions by 30,000 .
Outlining the HSE's 2010 service plan, Prof Drumm said about 30% of patients come into hospital stay there for less than 48 hours, which suggests the HSE is inconveniencing patients by not being able to make decisions about their care or carry out diagnostic tests such as X-rays without bringing them into hospital.
Prof Drumm said plan will demand significant change in how HSE staff work, but the executive was investing its money in providing some of this care on a day case basis and in community facilities.
This will be achieved by increasing access to the specialist skills available in current and planned Medical Assessment Units, which will mean that people do not need to be admitted to hospital unnecessarily.
In relation to the effect this plan will have on waiting lists, Professor Drumm said about 1,200-1,400 people are waiting over a year for treatment, which he said in reality was 'less than one day's work' for their system.
He said he believed this can be removed completely.
He said the number of people who've been waiting over six months has fallen by 50% in the past two years and the HSE's focus is on removing that waiting list completely.
The HSE Service Plan outlines how it will deliver acute hospital, community and related social services within its €14m budget for the coming year.
