To the Editor: The series of articles concerning access block1 indicates that access block is a major health issue in this country. It is remarkable that, despite all these efforts to avoid admissions and reduce inpatient length of stay, only a few occasions of brief success at reducing ambulance diversions were described, and only one case of reducing access block (Royal Melbourne Hospital).
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Correspondence:
- 1. Richardson DB, Ruffin RE, Hooper JK, at al. Responses to access block in Australia. Med J Aust 2003; 178: 103-111. <eMJA full text>
- 2. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Australian Hospital Statistics 1999–00. Canberra: AIHW, 2001. Available at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/publications/hse/ahs99-00/index.html (accessed Mar 2003).
- 3. Bagust A, Place M, Posnett JW. Dynamics of bed use in accommodating emergency admissions: stochastic simulation model. BMJ 1999; 319: 155-158.
- 4. Forster AJ, Steill I, Wells G, et al. The effect of hospital occupancy on emergency department length of stay and patient disposition. Acad Emerg Med 2003 10; 127-133.
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