4390.0 - Private Hospitals, Australia, 1996-97  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 24/06/1998   
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Contribution by private hospital sector - ABS


Survey results published today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) show the contribution by the 472 private hospitals operating in Australia in 1996-97.

Together these hospitals:
  • treated and cared for 1.8 million patients who left hospital during the year;
  • provided 6.1 million days of hospital accommodation for patients who left hospital during the year;
  • employed 41,919 staff (full-time equivalent);
  • generated revenue of $3,493 million, accounting for 0.7 per cent of gross national product;
  • expended $3,183 million on wages, services and products;
  • invested $328 million in capital works and equipment.
The publication Private Hospitals, Australia shows that the number of free-standing day hospitals run by private operators has increased by 63 per cent over the five-year period, from 94 in 1992-93 to 153 in 1996-97.

By contrast, the number of private acute and psychiatric hospitals has remained relatively constant over the latest five years. After rising from 323 in 1992-93 to 329 in 1993-94, they have declined slightly each year since. The total number for 1996-97 (319) is the same as that recorded for 1991-92.

In 1996-97 there were 1,539,400 separations of admitted patients recorded at all private acute and psychiatric hospitals in Australia. There were 5,835,600 days of hospitalisation associated with these patients. Total recurrent expenditure was $3,088 million and the average recurrent expenditure per patient day was $527. This unit cost ranged from an average of $335 for smaller hospitals (with 25 or fewer beds) to $628 for the larger hospitals (with over 200 beds), reflecting the more complex and expensive procedures carried out at the larger hospitals.

There were 226,300 patients treated at free-standing day hospitals in 1996-97. This represents 13 per cent of all patient separations from private hospitals in that year.

Total recurrent expenditure for free-standing day hospitals was $95 million in 1996-97 and the average operating expenditure per patient separation was $422. This average cost was highest for ophthalmic clinics ($743) and lowest for specialist endoscopy centres ($256).

Copies of the publication Private Hospitals, Australia (cat. no. 4390.0) are available from ABS Bookshops.