More patients, more elective surgery at Fraser Coast hospitals

Maryborough Hospital has continued to make significant inroads on elective surgery waiting lists and is one of the State’s leading performers, according to the latest Queensland Health report card released today.

Health Minister Stephen Robertson said the Quarterly Public Hospitals Performance Report showed Hervey Bay Hospital was treating more patients than ever, with increased numbers across the board during the September quarter.

The report shows 218 patients received elective surgery at Maryborough Hospital between July and September 2008 – an increase of 26.7 per cent (or 72 patients) on the same period in 2007.

As well as more operations, the hospital provided 6537 outpatient occasions of service – an increase of 12.9 per cent or 749 more people than the previous June quarter and a massive 33.1 per cent or 1626 more outpatients than the same three months in 2007.

Maryborough Hospital also treated 6451 inpatients or emergencies, an increase of 5.2 per cent (or 318 people) on the previous June quarter and admitted 1260 patients.

Hervey Bay Hospital treated 11,906 people as inpatients or emergencies – an increase of 8.7 per cent (or 952 people) on the June quarter and admitted 4600 patients, an increase of 9.4 per cent (or 394 patients).

It also provided 8684 outpatient occasions of service, which was 2.1% or 176 more people than in the June quarter and 7 per cent or 567 people more than September 2007.

There were 204 patients taken off the elective surgery waiting list – an increase of 9.7 per cent (or 18 patients) on the previous June quarter and 263 babies born at the hospital.

Both emergency departments remained busy, with Hervey Bay providing care for 8952 patients which equates to an average of 97 people a day. Maryborough Hospital treated 6048 people.*

“With hospital admissions state-wide increasing by more than double population growth, I have endorsed the eight point, ‘Whole-of-Hospital Plan’ developed by Senior Emergency Clinicians to reduce access block across our major public hospitals** to reduce emergency department and admission waiting times even further,” Mr Robertson said.

Mr Robertson said the record numbers were testament to the hard work of clinical staff across the State and evidence of the positive impact the Bligh Government’s Health Action Plan was making to improving access to essential health services.

“This report shows our hospitals are working harder than ever, but the strategies this Government has put in place are making strong improvements to ensuring more Queenslanders receive the timely health care they need and deserve,” Mr Robertson said.

“I have nothing but praise for our dedicated staff and I thank them all for their hard work.

A complete version of the Queensland Public Hospitals Quarterly Performance (September 2008 quarter) will be available in the What’s New section on the Queensland Health website at http://www.health.qld.gov.au/.

Ends.

MEDIA: Kate Van Poelgeest 3234 1185 or Martin Philip 3235 2680

*Maryborough Hospital has only been included in the Emergency Department Data Collection since October 2007.

** The eight points are:

• Implementing robust internal processes to improve bed availability.
• Ensuring timely and appropriate discharge protocols are in place with executive directors of Medical Services and Nursing directly involved in managing this.
• Enabling key staff to have input into developing strategies to reduce pressure on emergency departments.
• Introducing into performance contracts for District CEOs personal accountabilities for managing organisational issues impacting access block.
• Focussing on whole of hospital performance indicators for access block.
• Developing and implementing predictive software to enhance bed management.
• Working with the Divisions of General Practice to enhance access to GP and other community-based services.
• Creating a senior position within Queensland Health to bring an organisation-wide focus to improving emergency department services and links with intensive care issues.

Definitions:

Outpatient services provided = the number of outpatient and other non-admitted services minus services such as emergency, pharmacy, pathology, diagnostic imaging, community health services, district nursing services and other outreach services.

People treated as inpatients or emergencies = the number of admitted patient episodes plus the number of emergency services not resulting in admission. For example, some people will attend the emergency department and then be admitted to hospital. These people will only be counted once as inpatients and not counted as emergency patients for this particular figure.

People admitted to hospital = the number of admitted patient episodes of care. For example, one person might be admitted to hospital on two separate occasions, they would then be counted as two episodes of care.

People treated in emergency departments = the number of accident and emergency services provided. For example, a patient attends emergency three times, then it is counted as three separate attendances to the emergency department.

People received elective surgery = the number of people admitted for elective surgery from the elective surgery waiting list in either Category 1, 2 or 3.

People waiting for elective surgery= the number of patients waiting for elective surgery from Category 1, 2 or 3 with a status of “waiting” or “booked”.

Category 1= urgent admission within 30 days desirable, for a condition that has the potential to deteriorate quickly to the point that it may become an emergency.

Category 2 = semi-urgent admission within 90 days desirable, for a condition causing some pain, dysfunction or disability but which is not likely to deteriorate quickly or become an emergency.

Category 3 = non-urgent admission at some time in the future acceptable, for a condition causing minimal or no pain, dysfunction or disability, which is unlikely to deteriorate quickly and which does not have the potential to become an emergency.