A 6-month review of medical admissions in a nigerian teaching hospital

Abstract

Purpose: To provide an overview of morbidity and mortality in the medical wards of a teaching hospital and to generate discussions among staff members with a view to improving patient outcomes and data handling.
Methods: A retrospective survey of admissions and
mortalities in the medical wards of the University of Benin
Teaching Hospital was undertaken from 1st January to 30th June 2006, using ward Record and Change books, and copies of death certificates. Morbidity data were assessed for two medical wards and mortalities for all medical admissions within the period under review were evaluated. Results: Health information was managed entirely manually. Data sources were quite often inaccessible or mutilated, and the utility of available data was limited by incomplete and incorrect documentation. No clinical coding of morbidities or mortalities was available. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and its complications accounted for significantly more female than male admissions (26.1% and 16.2% respectively; p=0.005), and for more female than male
deaths (34.6% and 29.6% respectively; p< 0.0001). Most
deaths occurred between midnight and the start of the
working day, with a second peak during prime working hours. Conclusions: Less than optimal health information
management was apparent in the health facility studied.
Mortality among the patients was highest in HIV-infected
patients than other diseases. Capacity building and
appropriate infrastructural development is required to improve the management of vitally important health information.

Keywords: Health information; Morbidity; Mortality; Medical
Wards; Nigeria.