title: Paediatric admissions at a tertiary hospital in Kuala Lumpur--a case for a short-stay ward.
abstract: The profile of admissions staying less than 24 hours admitted to the paediatric wards of University Malaya Medical Center, Kuala Lumpur, over a period of six weeks was reviewed to ascertain the need of a short-stay ward. Ninety-three (22%) of the 428 admissions admitted during the study period were discharged within 24 hours, 56 (60%) were discharged within 12 hours. Major categories of admissions were: elective investigative procedures (43%), and emergency admissions (44%). Reasons for emergency admissions: infections 42%, minor trauma/cerebral concussion 25% and febrile/afebrile seizures 11%. Only 20% required percutaneous oximetry monitoring and 2% required observations more frequently than 2 hourly. There may be a case for a short stay ward in a big paediatric unit in Malaysia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of Malaya Medical Center, 50603 Kuala Lumpur.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Chong
authors.forename: W S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: A Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Goh
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006779:Hospitals, Public / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008296:Malaysia; D008297:Male; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*