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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.

Waiting times in 2010–11

In public hospitals, 50% of patients waited 36 days or less for elective surgery in 2010-11, an increase from 32 days in 2006-07. A total of 2.9% waited more than a year.

  • Median waiting time varied across states and territories. The lowest was 29 days, and the highest was 76 days (Figure 43).
  • Ophthalmology, ear, nose and throat surgery and orthopaedic surgery were the surgical specialties with the longest median waiting times (71, 64, and 64 days respectively) in 2010-11 (Figure 44).
  • Cardiothoracic surgery had the shortest median waiting time (16 days).
  • Coronary artery bypass graft was the procedure with the shortest median waiting time (17 days) and total knee replacement had the longest median waiting time (173 days) (Figure 45).

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-h and figures 45a-3h below.

Figure 43: Median waiting time to admissions for elective surgery, public hospitals, states and territories, 2010-11

Vertical bar chart showing median waiting time (days) on y-axis and state or territory of hospital on x-axis.

Figure 44: Median waiting time to admissions for elective surgery, by specialty of surgeon, 2010-11

Horizontal bar chart showing surgical speciality on y-axis and median waiting time (days) on x-axis.

Figures 44a-h: Median waiting time to admissions for elective surgery, by specialty of surgeon, states and territories, 2010-11 <select thumbnail below for full size image>
Figure 44a: NSW
Figure 44a NSW - Horizontal bar chart showing surgical speciality on y-axis and median waiting time (days) on x-axis. 		Figure 44b: Vic
Figure 44b Vic - Horizontal bar chart showing surgical speciality on y-axis and median waiting time (days) on x-axis. 		Figure 44c: Qld
Figure 44c Qld - Horizontal bar chart showing surgical speciality on y-axis and median waiting time (days) on x-axis. 		Figure 44d: WA
Figure 44d WA - Horizontal bar chart showing surgical speciality on y-axis and median waiting time (days) on x-axis.
Figure 44e: SA
Figure 44e SA - Horizontal bar chart showing surgical speciality on y-axis and median waiting time (days) on x-axis. 		Figure 44f: Tas
Figure 44f Tas - Horizontal bar chart showing surgical speciality on y-axis and median waiting time (days) on x-axis. 		Figure 44g: ACT
Figure 44g ACT - Horizontal bar chart showing surgical speciality on y-axis and median waiting time (days) on x-axis. 		Figure 44h: NT
Figure 44h NT - Horizontal bar chart showing surgical speciality on y-axis and median waiting time (days) on x-axis.

Figure 45: Median waiting times for elective surgery, by indicator procedure, 2010-11

Horizontal bar chart showing procedure on y-axis and median waiting time (days) on x-axis.

Figures 45a-h: Median waiting time for elective surgery, by indicator procedure, states and territories 2010-11 <select thumbnail below for full size image>.
Figure 45a: NSW
Figure 45a NSW - Horizontal bar chart showing procedure on y-axis and median waiting time (days) on x-axis. 		Figure 45b: Vic
Figure 45b Vic - Horizontal bar chart showing procedure on y-axis and median waiting time (days) on x-axis. 		Figure 45c: Qld
Figure 45c Qld - Horizontal bar chart showing procedure on y-axis and median waiting time (days) on x-axis. 		Figure 45d: WA
Figure 45d WA - Horizontal bar chart showing procedure on y-axis and median waiting time (days) on x-axis.
Figure 45e: SA
Figure 45e SA - Horizontal bar chart showing procedure on y-axis and median waiting time (days) on x-axis. 		Figure 45f: Tas
Figure 45f Tas - Horizontal bar chart showing procedure on y-axis and median waiting time (days) on x-axis.
Figure 45g: ACTFigure 45g ACT - Horizontal bar chart showing procedure on y-axis and median waiting time (days) on x-axis. 		Figure 45h: NT
Figure 45h NT - Horizontal bar chart showing procedure on y-axis and median waiting time (days) on x-axis.

  

Further information 

Australian hospital statistics 2010–11: emergency department care and elective surgery waiting times

Hospital performance: waiting times for elective surgery 2009-10

Admitted patient care: elective surgery

Notes and corrections

  1. (30 November 2011) Hospital performance: emergency department waiting times and Hospital performance: waiting times for elective surgery updated with latest 2010-11 data.

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