Research Topic:

A descriptive study of the demography, symptomology, management and outcome

of patients referred from Tuvalu for admission to the Suva Private Hospital between
2004 -2010.

A descriptive study of a hospital patient care usually examines the variations in the rate
of health care services. It focuses on effectiveness- assessing the processes and outcomes
of routine care to determine whether, where and how the practice might be improved.
Suva Private Hospital is well known in the Pacific for its efficiency in service delivery
when it comes to health services. Most of the neighboring pacific islands including
Tuvalu use the service provided in terms of surgical, medical and obstetrics and
gynecological cases. Referred cases due to their severity and complication are categorised
as critical and in need of immediate medical intervention are actively accommodated by
well trained staff in every aspect involving physicians from the various specialties,
nurses, laboratory, radiology and sophisticated well maintained medical facilities. The
aim of the study is to describe the demography, symptomology, investigations conducted
and the outcome of patients. It also identifies areas of improvement to accommodate the
medical needs of patient as such.
A descriptive study will be conducted at the Suva Private Hospital for all patients referred
from the Island of Tuvalu for the last 5 years using the available data as a secondary
source of information in order to compile information which will be measured during this
study. Individual cases will assess and categorise according to age, gender, marital status,
common symptoms and disease, medical procedures, number of admission, length of stay
in hospital and outcome which will be measured as variables.
A strong relationship with referral hospitals and the management of Suva Private
Hospital to focus on identifying needs of health care services and ways to improve
service deliveries which directly affect the finance and welfare of patients. As patients
leaving their homeland for medical evacuation, most of their relatives view hospital as a
place where terminally ill patients are sent to die. As a health care provider, the mission is
to provide comfort, relief of symptoms and palliative care for the terminally ill regardless
of age, race or religions and to support grieving families.