Waiting times for elective cataract surgery (percentile)
- Measure 3.6.1
- The median waiting time (or the number of days within which 50% of patients who completed their wait were admitted for cataract surgery) and the 90th percentile waiting time (or the number of days within which 90% of patients who completed their wait were admitted for cataract surgery).
The waiting times measures provide an indicator of access to cataract surgery for those on waiting lists managed by public hospitals (Figure 38 and Figure 39).
Figure 38: Waiting times for elective cataract surgery (percentile), 2012–13 to 2020–21
Measure 3.6.1: The median waiting time (or the number of days within which 50% of patients who completed their wait were admitted for cataract surgery) and the 90th percentile waiting time (or the number of days within which 90% of patients who completed their wait were admitted for cataract surgery).
Waiting times for elective cataract surgery (days), 2012–13 to 2020–21
Waiting times for elective cataract surgery by Indigenous status, 2012-13 to 2020-21
This line graph shows the days waited at the 50th percentile for elective cataract surgery, from 2012–13 to 2020–21, by Indigenous status. The chart shows that the median waiting time, or time waited before 50% of First Nations patients were admitted for cataract surgery, was consistently longer than that for non-Indigenous Australians until 2019–21. In 2020–21 The median waiting times converged for First Nation and Non -Indigenous Australian (167 days).
This line graph also shows the days waited at the 90th percentile for elective cataract surgery, from 2012–13 to 2020–21, by Indigenous status. The chart shows the time waited before 90% of First Nations patients were admitted for cataract surgery, was consistently longer than that for non-Indigenous Australians (in 2020–21 this was 395 days and 388 days, respectively).
- From 2012–13 to 2020–21, the median waiting time for elective cataract surgery for First Nations people rose from 140 days to 152 days (in 2015–16), and then dropped to 130 days in 2019–20 and then increased to 167 days in 2020–21. Over the same period, the median waiting time for non-Indigenous Australians rose from 88 days to 93 days (in 2015–16), dropped and then rose again in 2020–21 to 167 days.
- From 2012–13 to 2020–21, the number of days waited at the 90th percentile was similar for First Nations people and non-Indigenous Australians and remained relatively stable for both groups.
Figure 39: Waiting times for elective cataract surgery (percentile): interactive data
Waiting times for elective cataract surgery (percentile): interactive data
This interactive visualisation shows 2 separate charts for Waiting times for elective cataract surgery by Indigenous status by various characteristics.
Waiting times for elective cataract surgery by Indigenous status and region, 2019-21
This bar chart shows the days waited at the 50th percentile for elective cataract surgery, in 2019–21, by Indigenous status and region. The chart shows that the median waiting time, or time waited before 50% of Indigenous patients were admitted for cataract surgery, was higher for First Nations people across all regions with the exception of Outer regional and Inner regional areas where the wait times for First Nations people was slightly less than that for non-Indigenous Australians
This bar chart shows the days waited at the 90th percentile for elective cataract surgery in 2019–21, by Indigenous status and region. The chart shows the time waited before 90% of Indigenous patients were admitted for cataract surgery, was longer for First Nations people in across all regions with the exception of Outer regional areas where the wait times for First Nations people was slightly less than that for non-Indigenous Australians (375 and 399 days, respectively).
Waiting times for elective cataract surgery by Indigenous status and jurisdiction, 2019-21
This bar chart shows the days waited at the 50th percentile for elective cataract surgery, in 2019–21, by Indigenous status and jurisdiction. The chart shows that the median waiting time, or time waited before 50% of Indigenous patients were admitted for cataract surgery, was lower for First Nations people in NSW, SA and Tasmania and higher in all other jurisdictions.
This bar chart also shows the days waited at the 90th percentile for elective cataract surgery in 2019–21, by Indigenous status and jurisdiction. The chart shows the time waited before 90% of patients were admitted for cataract surgery, was shorter for non-Indigenous Australians in all jurisdictions except WA.
- In 2020–21 the median waiting time for elective cataract surgery for First Nations people was the same as that for non-Indigenous Australians (167).
- In 2020–21 the time waited before 90% of Indigenous Australians were admitted for cataract surgery was similar to the time waited by for non-Indigenous Australians (395 days and 388 days, respectively).