Department of General Surgery, University of Limpopo, Polokwane.
S Afr Med J. 2012 Aug 22;102(9):755-6. doi: 10.7196/samj.6045.
Doctors' strikes have a negative effect on hospital performance indicators. Hospital mortality during such strikes is the most important indicator.
To determine the effects of the 2010 strike on Polokwane Hospital.
Information was collected from the Hospital Information System, Polokwane Hospital Casualty Department, wards and theatres.
During the 20-day strike, a total of 262 patients were admitted to Polokwane Hospital, with 40 patients to the surgical department; 96 operations were performed in the hospital and 40 in the surgical department; and 50 deaths were reported in the hospital (8 deaths in the surgical department). During 20 days of a non-striking period in May 2010, there were 975 admissions to the hospital, with 125 to the surgical department. In the entire hospital, 340 operations were performed, and 79 in the surgical department. For this period, 61 deaths were reported in the hospital and 12 in the surgical department.
The total number of patients admitted to the hospital and the surgical department during the strike was significantly lower than during a non-striking situation. Total mortality during the strike in Polokwane Hospital decreased, compared with the normal situation, but it increased when judged against emergency cases. However, when mortality was qualified by the number of admissions, it showed a significant increase. Strikes seriously and significantly affect service delivery.
医生罢工对医院绩效指标有负面影响。此类罢工期间的医院死亡率是最重要的指标。
确定 2010 年罢工对波洛克瓦尼医院的影响。
从波洛克瓦尼医院信息系统、急诊部、病房和手术室收集信息。
在 20 天的罢工期间，共有 262 名患者被收治到波洛克瓦尼医院，其中 40 名患者收入外科病房；医院共进行了 96 次手术，其中外科进行了 40 次；医院报告了 50 例死亡（外科报告了 8 例死亡）。在 2010 年 5 月的非罢工期间的 20 天内，医院共有 975 名患者入院，其中 125 名患者收入外科病房。在整个医院，共进行了 340 次手术，其中外科进行了 79 次。在此期间，医院报告了 61 例死亡，外科报告了 12 例死亡。
罢工期间医院和外科病房收治的患者总数明显低于非罢工期间。波洛克瓦尼医院罢工期间的总死亡率与正常情况相比有所下降，但与紧急情况相比有所上升。然而，当死亡率根据入院人数来判断时，死亡率显著增加。罢工严重且显著地影响服务的提供。
