As this figure and the previous one indicate, high-pressure periods occurred before, during and after the downsizing of the acute hospital sector (i.e. bed closures). Thus, such periods can be expected to recur regardless of the number of beds in the system.

Implications:
-High-pressure periods are somewhat predictable – when they will occur, how long they will last, the number of flu-related admissions, etc. This information is useful for identifying ways to reduce these problems in the future or to help the system prepare for them.
-Possible approaches to this problem include a major campaign to increase influenza vaccination levels among high-risk groups (people aged 65 and over and those with chronic conditions), increasing pneumococcal vaccination rates, using alternative treatment settings, and pre-admission screening of all medical admissions to identify those not requiring acute care services.
-This study illustrates the value of a database that links various types of data across several years to allow longitudinal analyses

See also: Seasonal Patterns of Winnipeg Hospital Use