Stroke in Melbourne. A study of the relationship between a teaching hospital and the community.

A prospective study of stroke admissions to the Royal Melbourne Hospital was planned to provide baseline information before the introduction of Medibank. One hundred and seventy patients admitted consecutively over a six-month period were followed until either three months had elapsed since admission, or death had supervened. Although over half the cases (57%) came from areas close to the hospital, the remainder come from a wide area embracing most of suburban Melbourne. Of the cases expected from the local areas, less than one-third were admitted to the Royal Melbourne Hospital. Expected demand for admission to hospital from the north-west region was calculated and the dependence of the community upon the private sector demonstrated.