CLINICAL AUDIT REPORT: NUMBER, REASONS AND INDICATION OF INPATIENT IN CHRONIC WARDS IN HOSPITAL MESRA BUKIT PADANG, SABAH, MALAYSIA

Abstract

Introduction: The author conducted a clinical audit in Hospital Mesra Bukit Padang, Sabah, Malaysia looking into the number of chronic inpatients as well as the possible reasons for their admissions. Hospital Mesra is one of the four mental institutions funded entirely by the Malaysian Ministry of Health (MMH). The clinical audit may provide an insight for practitioners to work out for viable solutions to the high bed occupancy rate in Hospital Mesra, as well as the other mental institutions in the country. Methods: Information about the possible reasons of admission are gathered from all chronic inpatients who stayed in the hospital during the period of May 15, 2023, to June 30, 2023 (3 months) and assessed their psychiatric condition using the Brief Psychiatry Rating Scale (BPRS). The gathered data were analysed to look for association between. The team also gathered the wards’ relevant admission statistics. Results: Social reasons are of the highest frequency: Family refuse to take patient (40%), family uncontactable (35%), awaiting nursing home (10%) and other social issues (13.3%). There is an association between family uncontactable and increment of length of stay in ward. There is no association between the patients’ psychiatric condition and the length of stay in ward. Conclusion: Social factors are the most common reason for chronic inpatient stay in HMBP and severity of psychiatric illness is not associated with the length of stay of chronic inpatients. Cost efficiency demands steps to be taken to reduce the inpatient load, such as community outreach programs.