"The top four major reasons for admission are digestive, circulatory, respiratory and musculoskeletal which combined make up 53 per cent of total annual acute admissions to Tauranga Hospital.
"Respiratory admissions have the largest seasonal impact on inpatient numbers - they went from 8 per cent of acute admissions in January 2012 to 19 per cent of acute admissions in August 2012." Last year 83 per cent of the beds at Tauranga Hospital were occupied.
Medical wards, admissions and the Emergency Department (ED) had high occupancy rates, particularly with Tauranga's older residents.
"The BOPDHB caters to predominantly an elderly population and this is represented in the presentations to ED. With age you not only build up wisdom and experience but you also are highly likely to have multiple medical problems which complicate emergency department presentations," Mr Cammish said.
Patients over the age of 65 made up 18 per cent of the population numbers in the Bay of Plenty but accounted for 65 per cent of overnight bed days last year.
When there were too many patients and not enough beds, the overflow was managed by housing patients in lounges, treatment rooms or by opening up spaces in medical day-stay unit.
These measures and the discharge lounge for patients who were ready to be picked up helped to alleviate congestion in the main wards, particularly during winter, Mr Cammish said.
Meanwhile, 620 patients from the Western Bay elected to have their surgery at Whakatane Hospital last year.
As of March 11, there were 71 Western Bay patients booked for procedures in the Eastern Bay during March and April.
