TMBA HOSPITAL TRIAL AIMS TO CUT EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT BOTTLENECKS
Published Monday, 01 October, 2007 at 08:24 AM
Premier
The Honourable Anna Bligh
28 September 2007
Toowoomba: Toowoomba Hospital is one of two where the State Government is investing $500,000 in trialling new E-Health technology to improve patient access to hospital beds from busy hospital emergency departments.
Premier Anna Bligh said a new computer software model being developed in Queensland will enable hospitals to better predict patient admissions for any given day of the week.
“This is a very exciting Smart State research project that will provide benefits for hospital emergency departments in Queensland and throughout Australia,” Ms Bligh said.
“Being able to predict admissions, hospitals can more efficiently manage bed allocation and patient discharges; resulting in improved patient flows from emergency departments to ward beds.
“Patients will have faster admission to a hospital bed by reducing their need to wait in the emergency department while a ward bed becomes available.
“Improved patient flow will also help reduce ambulance ramping and bypass situations when our busy emergency department are working at capacity.
“And there will be fewer elective surgery cancellations because doctors can book operations for times when there is projected lower-bed demand from the emergency department,” she said.
The new computer modelling software will be trialled over 12 months at the Gold Coast Hospital.
“It’s appropriate the Gold Coast Hospital is involved because that’s where the idea for this Smart State solution first emerged.
“A basic mathematical model applied to emergency department data over three months demonstrated it was possible to predict the likely number of patient admissions for any day of the week.
“Based on this, the current project aims to develop a comprehensive mathematical model that predicts, within an acceptable margin, measures of emergency department admissions and discharges for a specific time and day of the year,” she said.
Health Minister Stephen Robertson said the research project is a partnership venture between Queensland Health, the Department of Tourism, Regional Development and Industry, the CSIRO-Queensland Government funded e-Health Research Centre, Griffith University and the Queensland University of Technology.
“Currently, there’s no off-the-shelf Australian software that allows hospitals to properly predict patient in and out-flow and monitor the up-to-date hospital bed usage,” he said.
“The software created by this project will address this need and has the potential to become a critical element of care infrastructure and improve hospital operational efficiency.”
Mr Robertson said the State Government is investing an additional $243 million over the next four years to roll out advanced technologies that will develop a better health system for Queensland.
“The new computer modelling package under development will complement other systems we’re already implementing to improve efficiency in hospital emergency departments.
“These include the Emergency Department Information System which provides hospital staff with a map of the whole emergency department including a graphic display of all beds and patients.
“It gives emergency departments the ability to record patient information before they enter the hospital, and significantly improve the tracking of patient conditions, treatments and movements,” he said.
The e-Health Research Centre (EHRC) is a key ICT research initiative of the Queensland Government under its Smart State Strategy.
It was created through collaboration between the CSIRO and the Queensland Government in 2004 and is the largest e-health research and development facility of its kind in the southern hemisphere.
The EHRC brings together world-class researchers and industry to produce products and services to create social and economic benefits for all Australians.
Media contact: Health Minister’s Office 3234 1190
Toowoomba: Toowoomba Hospital is one of two where the State Government is investing $500,000 in trialling new E-Health technology to improve patient access to hospital beds from busy hospital emergency departments.
Premier Anna Bligh said a new computer software model being developed in Queensland will enable hospitals to better predict patient admissions for any given day of the week.
“This is a very exciting Smart State research project that will provide benefits for hospital emergency departments in Queensland and throughout Australia,” Ms Bligh said.
“Being able to predict admissions, hospitals can more efficiently manage bed allocation and patient discharges; resulting in improved patient flows from emergency departments to ward beds.
“Patients will have faster admission to a hospital bed by reducing their need to wait in the emergency department while a ward bed becomes available.
“Improved patient flow will also help reduce ambulance ramping and bypass situations when our busy emergency department are working at capacity.
“And there will be fewer elective surgery cancellations because doctors can book operations for times when there is projected lower-bed demand from the emergency department,” she said.
The new computer modelling software will be trialled over 12 months at the Gold Coast Hospital.
“It’s appropriate the Gold Coast Hospital is involved because that’s where the idea for this Smart State solution first emerged.
“A basic mathematical model applied to emergency department data over three months demonstrated it was possible to predict the likely number of patient admissions for any day of the week.
“Based on this, the current project aims to develop a comprehensive mathematical model that predicts, within an acceptable margin, measures of emergency department admissions and discharges for a specific time and day of the year,” she said.
Health Minister Stephen Robertson said the research project is a partnership venture between Queensland Health, the Department of Tourism, Regional Development and Industry, the CSIRO-Queensland Government funded e-Health Research Centre, Griffith University and the Queensland University of Technology.
“Currently, there’s no off-the-shelf Australian software that allows hospitals to properly predict patient in and out-flow and monitor the up-to-date hospital bed usage,” he said.
“The software created by this project will address this need and has the potential to become a critical element of care infrastructure and improve hospital operational efficiency.”
Mr Robertson said the State Government is investing an additional $243 million over the next four years to roll out advanced technologies that will develop a better health system for Queensland.
“The new computer modelling package under development will complement other systems we’re already implementing to improve efficiency in hospital emergency departments.
“These include the Emergency Department Information System which provides hospital staff with a map of the whole emergency department including a graphic display of all beds and patients.
“It gives emergency departments the ability to record patient information before they enter the hospital, and significantly improve the tracking of patient conditions, treatments and movements,” he said.
The e-Health Research Centre (EHRC) is a key ICT research initiative of the Queensland Government under its Smart State Strategy.
It was created through collaboration between the CSIRO and the Queensland Government in 2004 and is the largest e-health research and development facility of its kind in the southern hemisphere.
The EHRC brings together world-class researchers and industry to produce products and services to create social and economic benefits for all Australians.
Media contact: Health Minister’s Office 3234 1190