[Accomplish more for less--a status report from Lovisenberg hospital]

In 1988 the local authorities increased the catchment area and reduced the budget for Lovisenberg hospital in Oslo. The hospital has met this challenge by improving its productivity. Despite a 20% cut in the acute bed capacity, the number of discharged patients was increased by 19 and 16%, and the length of stay for hospital care was shortened by 33 and 26%, at the medical and surgical departments respectively. The shorter period of hospitalization did not affect mortality or frequency of readmissions. We conclude that the present budget cuts have led to valuable changes at our hospital. The number of acute beds is now well balanced with the size of the catchment area (2.5 beds per 1000 inhabitants). However, further reduction is not advisable.