On the use of general hospital beds in Ribeirão Preto (State of S. Paulo, Brazil)

Abstract

The city of Ribeirão Preto's general hospital beds demand in 1972 by the county's inhabitants was studied. Data from a hospital information center were used. The main characteristics of this demand were: high rate of in-patients, low hospitalization rate, short average length of permanence (caused by demographic factors and the hospitalization financing system) and finally 2.43 general hospital beds/1,000 inhabitants were used by the population that year.