Utilisation of health services by diabetic persons. III: Audit of hospital admissions and bed occupancy.

The extent and patterns of use of hospital services by diabetic persons in New Zealand are not well documented. The usage of all four major Canterbury hospitals was prospectively studied for the 12 month period 1 January to 31 December 1983. There were 889 admissions by 689 diabetic persons who were either discharged from or died in hospital within the 12 month survey period (F = 373, M = 316). Ages ranged from three to 95 years mean 64.6 yr (SEM 0.7). One hundred and fifty-one patients were hospitalised more than once. At admission, 63.9% of patients were treated with diet or diet plus oral hypoglycaemic agents, 27.6% with insulin and 8.5% were newly diagnosed. The mean hospital stay was 20.1 (1.1 days), but the longest admission stays were by those over 65 years of age. Overall diabetic persons accounted for 4.8% of the total bed occupancy of the four hospitals. During 1983 14.8% percent of the 1200 insulin treated diabetic persons and 10.2% of the estimated 4000 non-insulin treated diabetic persons in the Canterbury Hospital Board area were hospitalised. Conditions associated with or a consequence of diabetes precipitated 57.5% of admissions. The potentially preventible disorders of glycaemic control and infection were factors in 25% and 26.9% of admissions respectively. These data show high risk of hospitalisation amongst diabetic individuals, particularly for those using insulin, but there is scope for prevention of admission or at least for reduction in duration of hospital stay.