Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England
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Over a one-month period, 207 general surgical emergency admissions (excluding urology) to a district general hospital were audited. The potential to improve the delivery of emergency care and reduce inpatient stay was studied. During the year of study, 44 per cent of all surgical admissions were emergency patients who consumed 61 per cent of inpatient bed days. ⋯ Twelve patients were admitted for complications of previous procedures. Emergency patients accounted for over half the inpatient bed days. There is considerable scope for improving the process of delivery of emergency surgical care and reducing inpatient stay.