Each patient who presents to an emergency department is assessed according to how urgently they should receive care, using a triage category system. The most urgent cases are assigned to the Resuscitation triage category (should be treated immediately), and the least urgent are assigned as Non-urgent (should be seen within 2 hours).
Data on triage category and waiting times were available for 5.9 million emergency department presentations in major public hospitals (about 81% of all accident and emergency visits to public hospitals). A total of 5.1 million of those (87%) were in Principal referral and Specialist women’s and children’s hospitals and Large hospitals.
In 2009–10:
- 70% of patients were seen within the recommended time for their triage category, ranging from 65% for Urgent patients, to 100% for Resuscitation patients (Figure 13)
- 50% of patients received care in 23 minutes or less and 90% received care in 115 minutes or less.
The proportion of patients seen within the recommended time for their triage category has remained relatively stable between 2005–06 and 2009–10, despite increasing numbers of emergency department presentations over recent years. Resuscitation patients were seen on time for either 99% or 100% of presentations each year, and Emergency (triage category 2) patients were seen on time for between 76% and 78% of presentations.
Figure 13: Proportion of public hospital emergency department presentations seen on time, 2009–10
There was some variation in the proportion seen on time between jurisdiction, ranging from 56% overall in the Northern Territory to 75% overall in New South Wales (Table 3). More information on the proportion seen on time by triage category for each state and territory can be found in figures 13a-13h below.
Table 3: Proportion (%) of emergency department presentations seen on time by triage category, major public hospitals, states and territories, 2009–10
|
NSW |
Vic |
Qld |
WA |
SA |
Tas |
ACT |
NT |
Total |
|
('000) |
| Total emergency visits |
1,989 |
1,393 |
1,106 |
593 |
369 |
140 |
106 |
127 |
5,822 |
| Triage category |
Per cent |
| Resuscitation |
100 |
100 |
99 |
99 |
100 |
99 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
| Emergency |
82 |
80 |
77 |
71 |
78 |
71 |
83 |
63 |
78 |
| Urgent |
70 |
71 |
60 |
55 |
63 |
52 |
60 |
49 |
65 |
| Semi-urgent |
73 |
67 |
66 |
64 |
63 |
63 |
56 |
51 |
68 |
| Non-urgent |
89 |
85 |
89 |
92 |
85 |
88 |
77 |
91 |
88 |
| Total |
75 |
72 |
66 |
64 |
67 |
63 |
63 |
56 |
70 |
Figures 13a-13h: Proportion (%) of non-admitted patient emergency department Emergency presentations seen on time by triage category, major public hospitals, states and territories, 2009–10
Figure 13a: New South Wales, 2009–10
Figure 13b: Victoria, 2009–10
Figure 13c: Queensland, 2009–10
Figure 13d: Western Australia, 2009–10
Figure 13e: South Australia, 2009–10
Figure 13f: Tasmania, 2009–10
Figure 13g: Australian Capital Territory, 2009–10
Figure 13h: Northern Territory, 2009–10
For more information see: