he Midland Regional Hospital in Mullingar dealt with 5,321 outpatients (approximately 15 a day ) in 2013, an increase of 250 patients on 2012.
This was revealed by James Conway, assisant national director of Midland hospitals, in reply to a question from Cllr Mick Dollard at the most recent meeting of the Dublin Mid-Leinster health forum meeting last week.
The figure of 5,321 breaks down to 1,971 medical day cases, and 3,350 surgical day cases across the year, although it was not made clear whether they included referrals from A&E, or was made up entirely of departmental appointments.
Reassuringly, the less expensive medical cases rose by more than 20 per cent from 2012 to 2013, whilst the more expensive surgical cases were down by 2.1 per cent.
At the same meeting it was also revealed that there were a total of 2,461 births (an average of six or seven a day ) in Mullingar in 2013, a figure that is almost 10 per cent less than the 2,712 who arrived in 2012.
