Growing Demand for Hospital Care

This clipping from “A Needed New Hospital: The Naismith Memorial, for Almonte and our Neighbours” was part of the Naismith Memorial Hospital Fund campaign in the 1950s. The campaign highlighted the need for a new hospital to serve the growing community, rather than sending patients far from home because space was not available locally.

Transcript:

THE VASTLY GROWING DEMAND FOR HOSPITAL CARE

An ever growing proportion of sick people now seek hospital care. When Rosamond Memorial was built, many of us can remember that the transfer of a patient from home to hospital as looked upon as suggesting early demise. A large majority of people considered hospitals as a place to die in. Today almost everyone looks upon the hospital as the best place for speedy recovery.

The changed attitudes of people toward hospital care is indicated by the following figures:

Admissions to Rosamond Memorial

1924
Medical 52
Surgical 137

1932
Medical 74
Surgical 121
Cases X-Rayed 103
Patient Days 4972

1938
Medical 103
Surgical 118
Cases X-Rayed 84
Patient Days 4519

1946
Medical 200
Surgical 335
Cases X-Rayed 264
Patient Days 8402
Average Number of Patients Per Day 23.15

1948
Medical 199
Surgical 317
Cases X-Rayed 407
Patient Days 8684
Average Number of Patients Per Day 23.82

1950
Medical 259
Surgical 365
Cases X-Rayed 599
Patient Days 8726
Average Number of Patients Per Day 23.91

1952
Medical 469
Surgical 431
Cases X-Rayed 1117
Patient Days 8775
Average Number of Patients Per Day 24.98

1953
Medical 420
Surgical 534
Cases X-Rayed 1502
Patient Days 8357
Average Number of Patients Per Day 22.90

Previous to 1948 X-Ray equipment was very limited.