[Hospitalization demand for medical specialties in a health area with 200,000 inhabitants]

To assess the hospitalisation requirements for medical specialties (MS), admissions to a district hospital were studied during two subsequent years. Of the 196,800 inhabitants, 3% (6,089) were admitted which resulted in 7,841 admissions during this period. Four hundred and forty two different main diagnosis were performed but only 14 led to 50% of admissions and these same entities were also involved in any of the diagnosis associated (comorbidity). Mean age of the total group was 61 +/- 18 years being women patients three years older than men. More men than women were admitted. Pathology complexity was usually due to comorbidity, rather than a specific entity. Therefore we consider that the relationship between primary, general medicine and specialty attention should be reviewed and the involvement of MS in district hospitals should be revised so that the service may be efficient as well as improving cost-effectiveness ratio and thus achieving a remarkable economical saving.