The Department for Health and Wellbeing has revealed that 69 per cent of people presenting to the State’s Emergency Departments (EDs) and 66 per cent of people presenting to metropolitan Adelaide EDs are not ill or injured enough to be admitted to hospital.
Minister for Health and Wellbeing, Stephen Wade said that in the past year, the SA Ambulance Service (SAAS) transported 61,555 priority 6, 7 and 8 cases to hospital, which were cases that required some form of help but not necessarily an emergency ambulance response.
Mr Wade said the statistics came out as a new three-year agreement to continue and further expand the successful out-of-hospital healthcare initiative, Priority Care Centres (PCCs) was signed.
He said ramping and hospital overcrowding was occurring across Australia and had been made worse during COVID-19, however the PCCs helped alleviate pressure on hospitals and staff by offering an alternative to an ED.
“These clinics are really starting to hit their straps and I congratulate everyone involved for reaching a major milestone this week (22 September) of treating 20,000 patients,” Mr Wade said.
Chief Executive of Wellbeing SA, Lyn Dean said the PCCs were a win for busy EDs and patients alike.
“Eighty-five per cent of PCC patients completed their care within two hours (waiting time and treatment time) and 60 per cent of patients spent an hour or less at a PCC,” Ms Dean said.
“That compares to the average ED visit time for lower acuity (triage category 4 and 5) patients of 3.6 hours,” she said.
Ms Dean said common conditions treated at PCCs included minor sprains, wounds and cuts, suspected fractures, urinary tract infections and mild upper respiratory infections.
