Jacky Jones: New hospital structures do not necessarily mean better health outcomes

Assigning Ireland’s 49 acute hospitals to six new groups will probably make a difference to patient outcomes. Unfortunately, with the exception of cancer, no one knows what these outcomes will be because there is no system in place to routinely record them. Health outcomes refer to changes in the health status of individuals which can be attributed to an intervention or series of interventions. These changes can include better physical functioning such as the ability to carry groceries, climb a flight of stairs or walk a mile, or mental health functioning such as no longer feeling down in the dumps or worn out. (Times) >