48
Reply:
A total of 1,973,661 patients attended the accident and emergency departments in public hospitals during 1996, out of whom 379,590 were admitted into hospital wards directly. Based on activity statistics captured by the Accident and Emergency Information System which cover seven acute general hospitals (Caritas Medical Centre, Pamela Youde Nethersole Hospital, Prince of Wales Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Tang Shiu Kin Hospital, United Christian Hospital and Yan Chai Hospital) accounting for about 60% of the total workload, 17,002 patients were admitted into observation wards and then transferred to hospital wards, while 76,007 were admitted into observation wards and later discharged.
We do not have any readily available information on the number of patients admitted into observation wards whose condition had deteriorated to require operative treatment, intensive care or died within 24 hours of admission. However, it is important to note that only patients with borderline medical conditions who are not deemed necessary for hospitalisation will be admitted to observation wards.
We do not have any readily available information on the number of patients who attended the accident and emergency departments but were refused admission initially and later admitted for treatment or died within 48 hours.
End
Official Receiver's Office
Following is a question by the Hon Chim Pui-chung, and a written reply by the Secretary for Financial Services, Mr Rafael Hui, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):
Question:
Will the Government inform this Council:
(a)
the respective numbers of staff in various professional grades in the Official Receiver's Office at present; and