Atherton Hospital activity on the rise

Atherton Hospital activity has been increasing over the past quarter, according to the December Quarterly Public Hospitals Performance Report released today.

Health Minister Stephen Robertson said the increased activity demonstrated the impact of the additional $10 billion Health Action Plan funding which is expanding the capacity of our public hospitals throughout Queensland.

In the three months to 31 December, Atherton Hospital treated 4,608 people as inpatients or emergencies, the report reveals.

This was an increase of 4.7 per cent on the 4,401 people treated in the September quarter 2008, and an increase of 19.3 per cent on the 3,863 people treated during the December quarter 2007.

During the December quarter, Atherton Hospital also provided 1,468 admitted patient episodes of care, an increase of 2.9 per cent on the 1,427 admitted patient episodes of care in the September quarter 2008, and an increase of 19.3 per cent on the 1,231 admitted patient episodes of care during the December quarter 2007.

The hospital also provided 3,444 outpatient occasions of service.

This was a decrease of 30.8 per cent on the 4,974 outpatient occasions of service during the September quarter 2008, and a decrease of 26.2 per cent on the 4,669 outpatient occasions of service during the December quarter 2007.

The hospital also recorded 3,502 Emergency Department (ED) occasions of service during the September quarter, a decrease of 2.1 per cent on the 3,578 ED occasions of service in the September quarter 2008, and an increase of 8.5 per cent on the 3,229 ED occasions of service during the same period in 2007.

During the December quarter, Atherton Hospital admitted 96 patients from the elective surgery waiting list, which was a decrease of 13.5 per cent on the 111 patients admitted from the waiting list in the September quarter 2008, and a decrease of 9.4 per cent on the 106 patients admitted from the waiting list during the same period in 2007.

Mr Robertson said the decrease in admitted patients from the elective surgery waiting list was due to extended leave by one of the visiting surgeons at Atherton Hospital during the quarter.

As the surgeon also conducts outpatient clinics at the hospital, his absence also affected the number of outpatient occasions of service.

Of the Category 1 patients treated during the December quarter, half were treated within six days and 90 per cent were treated within 26 days.

Of the Category 2 patients, half were treated within 20 days and 90 per cent within 69 days.

Of the Category 3 patients, half were treated within 29 days and 90 per cent within 76 days.

As at 1 January 2009, at Atherton Hospital:

• No Category 1 patient was waiting longer than 30 days for surgery. This compares with no patients at 1 October 2008 and no patients at 1 January 2008.

• One Category 2 patient (6.7 per cent) was waiting longer than 90 days for their surgery. This compares with one patient (6.7 per cent) at 1 October 2008 and four patients (22.2 per cent) at 1 January 2008.

• Seven Category 3 patients (38.9 per cent) were waiting longer than 365 days for their surgery. This compares with seven patients (43.8 per cent) at 1 October 2008 and three patients (12 per cent) at 1 January 2008.

In the three months to December 31, 2008, compared to the same quarter in 2007, Queensland hospitals provided:

• A 3.2 per cent increase (or 11,744 more patients) in the number of people treated in emergency departments

• A 5.9 per cent increase (or 12,284 more patients) in the number of people admitted to hospital

• An 8.4 per cent increase (or 8,520 more patients) in the number of people admitted for same day care in a hospital

• A 3.6 per cent increase (or 3,764 more patients) in the number of people admitted for more than one day

• A 0.4 per cent increase (or 3,074 more appointments) in the number of outpatient services provided

• A 6.8 per cent increase (or 1,950 more patients) in the number of people receiving elective surgery, and

• A 4.8 per cent increase (or 482 more babies) in the number of babies born

Mr Robertson said staffing continued to grow strongly. Since 2005 Queensland Health has employed:

• 1,715 more doctors, a 38 per cent increase to 6,267
• 5,778 more nurses, a 26 per cent to 27,689, and
• 2,134 more health practitioners, professional and technical staff, up 31 per cent to 9,068.

Mr Robertson said the quarterly performance report reflected the hard work and commitment of the dedicated Queensland Health staff across the state, and he commended their efforts in providing quality health care to people in their communities.

A complete version of the Queensland Public Hospitals Quarterly Performance Report (September 08 quarter) is available in the What's New section of the Queensland Health website at http://www.health.qld.gov.au/

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.

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.

Long-wait

Term applied to any waiting time that exceeds the recommendation for that category.

ENDS

MEDIA: Kate Van Poelgeest 3234 1185 or 0458 449 267