Definition of hospital admissions

[BasementIdeas]

Hi

Does anyone know the official definition of COVID hospital admissions? Previously my aunt broke her hip and then caught COVID in hospital. COVID symptoms were very mild so she wouldn’t have been in hospital if not for her hip. Would she count as a hospital admission?

Thanks

I believe so. The numbers are people in hospital with covid, rather than people in hospital admitted due to covid.

Yep that would count.

Interesting, thanks

Length of time spent in hospital is key too - when DS was little were were admitted onto a ward about three times when he was very wheezy. 2 hours later, after steroids and a nebuliser, he was discharged and sent home. But that still counts as an admission.

Anecdotally, I have heard several medics and scientists saying that the average duration of a covid-related hospital stay is decreasing hugely as more people are vaccinated and not getting as seriously ill, and recovering more quickly. But there doesn't seem to be any figures on this.

We log them under different categories so you have those who are admitted for covid reasons, those admitted for things like broken leg but test positive for covid but need no covid related care and those with hospital acquired covid symptomatic or asymptomatic. Nhs official recording takes the overall number of positive cases in a hospital, including asymptomatic but it’s complex so for the purposes of this public data they simplify it. Those with covid often need a longer stay - sometimes for care and other times because no nursing home will take them but they are unable to safely go home (or they came from a nursing home to start with).

I was curious about this too.

A relative was blue lighted to hospital but discharged the same day a few hours later. I assume that would count!

Yes it would count in the published stats on hospital admissions.

@m0therofdragons

We log them under different categories so you have those who are admitted for covid reasons, those admitted for things like broken leg but test positive for covid but need no covid related care and those with hospital acquired covid symptomatic or asymptomatic. Nhs official recording takes the overall number of positive cases in a hospital, including asymptomatic but it’s complex so for the purposes of this public data they simplify it. Those with covid often need a longer stay - sometimes for care and other times because no nursing home will take them but they are unable to safely go home (or they came from a nursing home to start with).

I really wish they would publish these as separate categories

Is this another thread trying to imply that all is well and covid is not a problem?

This guy is good at explaining what is going on: twitter.com/rupert_pearse/status/1431508988236021761

TLDR: one fifth of our national ICU capacity is currently Covid patients - in August.

@lannistunut

Is this another thread trying to imply that all is well and covid is not a problem?

This guy is good at explaining what is going on: twitter.com/rupert_pearse/status/1431508988236021761

TLDR: one fifth of our national ICU capacity is currently Covid patients - in August.

I think it was a genuine and reasonable question.

@lannistunut

Is this another thread trying to imply that all is well and covid is not a problem?

This guy is good at explaining what is going on: twitter.com/rupert_pearse/status/1431508988236021761

TLDR: one fifth of our national ICU capacity is currently Covid patients - in August.

Nobody is implying that all is well and Covid is not a problem ffs.

The OP's question was perfectly reasonable and not implying anything. It's something I've wondered about, myself.

@Bizawit the reason they don’t is that in small hospitals individual cases become identifiable. There’s lots of nuances too.

I get a sit rep twice daily in my specific work place. Overall, those who are unvaccinated or only had 1 vaccination need more intervention. The ages are mixed but of those coming in for covid care are unvaccinated and seem to be men in their 50s this week. We’ve had some who are vaccinated but they need less oxygen so I’m feeling encouraged the vaccine is helping significantly. The big issue for hospitals is balancing the recovery alongside musical beds where we have to move a patient who becomes positive and then the bay has to isolate. It’s a daily challenge right now.

I work for the NHS in Business Intelligence and part of my job is setting up the process to the national guidance and overseeing the figures for this return each day.

All definitions are available online, I’ve put a link for the COVID-19 return below

www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/Publication-definitions-1.pdf

[quote m0therofdragons]@Bizawit the reason they don’t is that in small hospitals individual cases become identifiable. There’s lots of nuances too.

I get a sit rep twice daily in my specific work place. Overall, those who are unvaccinated or only had 1 vaccination need more intervention. The ages are mixed but of those coming in for covid care are unvaccinated and seem to be men in their 50s this week. We’ve had some who are vaccinated but they need less oxygen so I’m feeling encouraged the vaccine is helping significantly. The big issue for hospitals is balancing the recovery alongside musical beds where we have to move a patient who becomes positive and then the bay has to isolate. It’s a daily challenge right now.[/quote]
That’s really encouraging to know xx

They weren't counting a&e admissions - you had to be in over 24 hours and admitted to a ward to count in the statistics. So someone could go in with covid, need oxygen, be stabilised and sent home but not count as a hospital admission. Has that changed?
Meanwhile Dorothy who is in with a hip fracture and asymptomatic covid does count? I guess the two scenarios could cancel each other out in the figures?
Other than being useful for general trends we should probably take the stats with a pinch of salt.

This page has a bit more of a breakdown of admissions v inpatients for England, if it's helpful:
www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/covid-19-hospital-activity/