Inpatient dermatology: characteristics of patients and admissions in a Spanish hospital

Inpatient dermatology has not been properly described in many countries. National differences might be important in the evaluation of its usefulness and the applicability of politics of health expenditure restrictions. To describe inpatient activity and readmission rates in a dermatology department in Spain. Cross-sectional prospective study in a single hospital. Secondary care hospital of the National Health Service in Pontevedra (Spain). From May 1997 to December 2000, all discharge sheets (1048) were included in the study, codified and described. Surgery was the reason for admission in 37% of the inpatients. The most frequent diagnosis were: neoplasm (36%), infection (15%), psoriasis (10%), other (10%), dermatitis (6%) and drug reaction (5%). Readmission rates were 1.8% within 30 days, and 12.5% within 1 year. Inpatient dermatology is different in different countries. Compared with what has been described in the USA or UK, our data suggest an important surgical content of inpatient dermatology in Spain, not reported in those countries. Medical diagnoses also differ, consisting of more infections, and less psoriasis and dermatitis in our setting. Readmission rates are low when compared with previously published ones, a finding that supports a long-term benefit of hospitalization.