Eight years' experience with a weekday gynaecological ward

Area of Science:

• Gynaecology
• Surgical Services
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• A gynaecological ward operated five days a week from 1971 to 1978.
• Patient admissions included both day cases (39.5%) and overnight stays.
• Patient choice of anaesthesia (local/general) and stay duration (day/overnight) was available.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficiency and impact of a dedicated gynaecological ward.
• To assess the management of increasing workload and patient waiting lists.
• To discuss the benefits of such a unit within contemporary gynaecological services.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 9651 patient admissions between 1971 and 1978.
• Categorization of procedures: termination of pregnancy, laparoscopy, minor gynaecological procedures, and urological procedures.
• Monitoring of workload increase and waiting list duration over the study period.

Main Results:

• The ward handled a significant increase in workload (80%) over eight years.
• Waiting lists decreased by 62% in the first year and were subsequently maintained.
• Common procedures included termination of pregnancy (41.3%) and minor gynaecological procedures (41.2%).

Conclusions:

• The gynaecological ward demonstrated high efficiency in managing increased patient volume.
• The unit effectively reduced and maintained short waiting lists, improving patient access.
• The findings support the integration of specialized units for enhanced gynaecological care delivery.