[Evolution value of quantitative performance indicators of a large hospital (La Fe. 1974-1986)]. / Valor evolutivo de los indicadores cuantitativos de rendimiento de un gran hospital (La Fe. 1974-1986).

An analytical study has been conducted from a historical-developmental viewpoint for a 13-year period--1974-1986--on the most widely-used quantitative hospital performance indicators for a 2.000-bed Centre composed of four hospitals: General, Children's, Maternity and Traumatology-Rehabilitation. To take a general count of these indicators for the Centre as a whole would present a misleading picture in that the differences in the working of its constituent parts, which are mutually autonomous and adopt different approaches to their own specific areas, would be concealed. Thus while there are areas unable to cope with increasing demand--General and Traumatology-Rehabilitation-, in others-Children's and Maternity-the pressure is not nearly so great. Overall the Centre is seen as overloaded, but not nearly so great. Overall the Centre is seen as overloaded, but not in a uniform way, and this creates imbalances and distortions within the constituent hospitals themselves. It is very probable that the rate of growth in demand for hospital services can be put down in large part to structural and functional deficiencies in primary care.