Advances in surgical technology is reducing the need for inpatient hospitalization. Although the overall number of surgeries have increased over the past decade, surgical hospital admissions are decreasing. The Canadian Institute for Health Information has recently released a report entitled Trends in Acute Inpatient Hospitalizations and Day Surgery Visits in Canada, 1995–1996 to 2005–2006 that has analyzed these trends.

• Caroline Heick, Director of Health Services Information for the Canadian Institute for Health Information.