Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences ETDs

Publication Date

1-15-1991

Abstract

There is a need for comprehensive and current data concerning the number of hospital beds, number of nursing home beds, and the number of key health personnel a'1ail­able to Bernalillo County. Since this information is essential for health care in the county in order to facil­itate planning and the proper allocation of funds, the availability of these resources was determined.

The general purpose of the study was:

  1. To determine the number of Bernalillo County hospital and nursing home beds.
  2. To compare the number of hospital beds to the 1946 Hill-Burton Act recommended standards of 4.5 general and 5.0 mental hospital beds per 1,000 population.
  3. To determine the number of key health personnel in Bernalillo County.
  4. To compare the number of key health personnel with available national averages.

In order to pursue the purpose, the following sub-problems were investigated:

  1. The ratio of general hospital beds to the population.
  2. The ratio of mental hospital beds to the population.
  3. The ratio of general and mental hospital beds to the population served in institutions which are registered with the American Hospital Association, American Osteopathic Hospital Association, and/or accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of hospitals.
  4. The ratio of licensed nursing home beds to the population.
  5. The ratio of key health personnel to the population.

Information concerning the exact number of Bernalillo County hospital and nursing home beds was secured from a survey of the individual facilities them­selves. The administrator or assistant administrator of each facility was interviewed.

Data pertaining to the number of Bernalillo County key health personnel was obtained from publications of state governmental agencies. Federal government publi­cations presenting national averages of key health personnel were obtained from the State Board of Nursing.

Other pertinent data were obtained from various libraries, government agencies, and civic agencies within the county.

Results

  1. Between one third and one fourth of all patients in Bernalillo County hospitals reside outside Bernalillo County.
  2. The total population served by Bernalillo County hospitals was approximately 446,460.
  3. When federal hospitals were included, there were 2,193 general and 140 mental hospital beds in the county.
  4. Nine of the county's twelve hospitals were members of the American Hospital Association and accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals and one was a member of the American Osteopathic Hospital Association
  5. When federal hospitals were included, a 4.72 general and 0.47 mental hospital bed ratio to 1,000 population was found.
  6. The ratio of nursing home beds to 1,000 Bernalillo County population served was 1.9.
  7. There were 142.5 physicians to 100,000 population served.
  8. There were 43.1 dentist's to 100,000 population served.
  9. There were 382.9 registered and 138.1 licensed practical nurses to 100,000 population served.

Conclusions

  1. There was a shortage of hospital and nursing home beds in Bernalillo County.
  2. There was a shortage of physicians, dentists, and licensed practical nurses in the county.
  3. There was a plethora of registered nurses in the county when the ratio was compared with the national average.

Document Type

Thesis

Language

English

Degree Name

Health Education

Level of Degree

Masters

Department Name

Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences

First Committee Member (Chair)

Phyllis Douglass

Second Committee Member

Ella May Small

Third Committee Member

Eugene R. Porter

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