The median waiting time for elective surgery is a measure of access to elective surgery. Data were available for a subset of elective surgery in public hospitals, defined as those removed from waiting lists for a range of surgical procedures. The median waiting time is the number of days within which 50% of patients were removed from elective surgery waiting lists.
In public hospitals, 50% of patients waited 36 days or less for elective surgery in 2009–10, an increase from 32 days in 2005–06. A total of 3.6% waited more than a year—the least since 2005–06.
- Median waiting time varied across states and territories. The lowest was 27 days, and the highest was 73 days (Figure 43).
- Ophthalmology, ear, nose and throat surgery and orthopaedic surgery were the surgical specialties with the longest median waiting times (70, 63, and 62 days respectively) in 2009–10 (Figure 44).
- Cardiothoracic surgery had the shortest median waiting time (14 days).
- Coronary artery bypass graft was the procedure with the shortest median waiting time (15 days) and total knee replacement had the longest median waiting time (181 days) (Figure 45).
- Overall, the median waiting times for patients with cancer-related principal diagnoses (median 20 days) were 15 days shorter than the median waiting times for patients overall (median 35 days) (Figure 46). For ear, nose and throat surgery, patients with cancer waited 15 days, compared with 64 days overall.
More information on waiting times for public hospital elective surgery by surgical specialty and by procedure for each state and territory is presented in figures 44a-44h and figures 45a-45h below.
Figure 43: Median waiting times for elective surgery, public hospitals, states and territories, 2009–10
Figure 44: Median waiting times for elective surgery, by specialty of surgeon, 2009–10
Figures 44a-44h: Median waiting time for elective surgery, by specialty of surgeon, states and territories, 2009–10 <select thumbnail below for full size image>
Figure 44a: NSW
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Figure 44b: Vic
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Figure 44c: Qld
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Figure 44d: WA
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Figure 44e: SA
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Figure 44f: Tas
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Figure 44g: ACT
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Figure 44h: NT
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Figure 45: Median waiting times for elective surgery, by procedure, 2009–10
Figures 45a-45h: Median waiting time for elective surgery, by procedure, states and territories <select thumbnail below for full size image>.
Figure 45a: NSW
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Figure 45b: Vic
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Figure 45c: Qld
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Figure 45d: WA
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Figure 45e: SA
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Figure 45f: Tas
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Figure 45g: ACT
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Figure 45h: NT
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Figure 46: Median waiting times, overall and cancer-related, by specialty of surgeon, 2009–10
For more information see: