4390.0 - Private Hospitals, Australia, 2000-01  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 27/09/2002   
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MEDIA RELEASE

September 27, 2002
Embargoed: 11:30 AM (AEST)
124/2002
Private hospital growth continues

The number of private acute and psychiatric hospitals declined slightly during 2000-01. However, the number of beds in these hospitals increased by 800 (3.4%), according to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today. The number of private free-standing day hospital facilities rose from 207 to 217, providing an extra 107 beds.

Private acute and psychiatric hospitals employed 44,720 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff, an increase of 1600 (3.7%) from 1999-2000. Free-standing day hospital facilities employed 1,594 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff, up 57 (3.7%) from 1999-2000.

There were 2 million (m) patient discharges from private acute and psychiatric hospitals an increase of 9 % over the previous year.

Patient separations from free-standing day hospital facilities (i.e not those located within an acute or psychiatric hospital) increased by 13% in 2000-01.

Income received by private acute and psychiatric hospitals increased 13% from 1999-2000 to $4,518m while recurrent expenditure also increased by 13% to $4,284m over the same period. The average recurrent expenditure per patient day was $657. The cost per patient day ranged from an average of $461 for smaller hospitals (with 25 or fewer beds) to $747 for larger hospitals (with over 200 beds).

The income and recurrent expenditure in free-standing day hospitals also increased between 1999-2000 and 2000-01 with income increasing 17% to $224m while recurrent expenditure rose by 13% to $183m. The cost per patient separation for these facilities was $465.

Further details are in Private Hospitals, Australia (cat. no. 4390.0).