A performance audit of patient waiting time in Queensland’s hospital emergency departments has found pressure to be increasing and demands imposed on the department growing faster than the population.
In his report Measuring emergency department patient wait time, Auditor-General Brendan Worrall examines whether the Department of Health and hospital and health services have effectively implemented the recommendations made in an earlier audit in 2014 and whether Queensland Health was effectively managing the length of stay in emergency and patient off stretcher time performance.
“Demand for ambulance transport and emergency departments continues to grow faster than the population,” Mr Worrall said.
“This demand, and more people presenting with complex issues, is placing increasing pressure on Queensland’s ambulance service and emergency departments.”
He said he found that increasing demand was putting pressure on emergency departments; that decision-makers needed more accurate and timely information; and that progress had been made towards the previous recommendations with two of its four recommendations fully implemented.
Mr Worrall said that in his latest follow-on report he makes five recommendations aimed at assisting Queensland Health improve its processes for data reliability; its emergency department performance measures; the appropriate use of short-term treatment areas; and an interface between emergency departments’ and Queensland Ambulance Service’s systems.
The Auditor-General’s 71-page report can be accessed at this PS News link.
