P. Kornhauser
Zveza prijateljev mladine Slovenije, Ljubljana, Slovenija

M. Seher Zupančič
Dispanzer za predšolske otroke, Zdravstveni dom Velenje, Velenje, Slovenija; Združenje za pediatrijo SZD, Ljubljana, Slovenija

Abstract

Indicators of hospital treatment of children have been very favourable in the last four decades in Slovenia, though the report of the World Health Organisation showed a high hospitalisation rate and a low proportion of day cases in children in comparison to other European countries. The working group for the strategy on hospital care of children was appointed by the Minister of Health to investigate the situation and prepare recommendations for improvement.The working group conducted a survey among paediatricians, which included the heads of paediatric departments in university and regional hospitals and in primary care paediatricians. In this paper, the analysis of information on procedures for hospital admissions, as well as factors that affect referrals to hospital are presented. The working group recommended measures for lowering the rate of hospitalisation of children and increasing day only hospital admissions. The committee found that the data were not comparable to those of other countries due to differences in data collection methodology.

Key words: hospitalisation, children.