Consecutive admissions to an acute core medical service at the Lexington, Ky, Veterans Administration Hospital were studied protectively over a six-month period. A total of 604 patients were included in the study and the major problems resulting in admission were divided into eight primary categories. Almost one half of the patients had significant disorders of the cardiovascular system, and almost one third had problems related to the abuse of alcohol. These data are compared with those from a study of male employees of a major life insurance company and are shown to have distinct differences. The possible effects of these data on medical house staff training programs and upon the allocation of resources by the VA hospital system are discussed.
(C) 1974 Southern Medical Association