Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 196: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the number of patients who were re-admitted to hospital within one week of discharge in 2004. [22095/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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In 2004 there were 31,727 re-admissions to hospital within one week of discharge. This figure is derived from the hospital inpatient inquiry or HIPE system which gives details of activity in all publicly funded acute hospitals in the state as well as in two private hospitals. HIPE data only allows the identification of a re-admission if it is to the same hospital as the original admission. The figure given includes all inpatient re-admissions, i.e. re-admissions for the same condition, for an unrelated condition and planned re-admissions, and excludes day cases. It should be noted that the HIPE database for 2004 has not yet been finalised and hospital discharges occurring during 2004 are still being added to the system.