1. The Role of public accountability
mechanisms
Taming the Queue Conference
29 March 2012
Chris Baggoley
Chief Medical Officer
Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing

2. AUSTRALIAN
CHARTER
OF
HEALTHCARE
RIGHTS

3. Elective Surgery Performance
 Elective Surgery Plan separations – Final Period Jul to Dec 2010
– Target 311,860
– Achievement 331,992
– % over target 6.5%
Source: Commonwealth Reform Commission Report - Period 3 independent assessment
 Performance – 2006-07 to 2010-11
2006-07 2010-11 Change
Admissions 556,770 620,783 +64,013
Waiting Times
Median wait 32 days 36 days + 4 days X
90th percentile 226 days 252 days + 26 days X
% > 365 days 3.1% 2.9% - 0.2%
Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Australian Hospital Statistics 2010-11

4. Demand for Emergency Departments
Australian EDs are facing National ED presentations vs Population
(% change over 2004-05)
rising demand, well
above rates of
45.00%
population growth:
Percent change over 2004-05
40.00%
35.00%
• In 2004-05, there were 30.00%
4.3 million 25.00%
presentations to EDs. 20.00%
By 2010-11, this had 15.00%
risen to 6 million – an 10.00%
increase of nearly 40% 5.00%
over 5 years. 0.00%
• Over the same period, 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11
population growth was Year
10%.
Growth Total emergency visits (over base year) Growth Population (over base year)
Sources: AIHW Australian Hospital Statistics publications, 2004-05 to 2010-11; and Australian Bureau of Statistics 3101.0
Demographic Statistics Table 2. Population Change

5. Australian Emergency Departments:
Triage Category Performance
% presentations treated within recommended times,
Australia The goal of the ‘Taking
100%
95%
Pressure Off Public
90% Hospitals’ agreement is to
Improvement
85%
required to hit 80% raise the National Average
% presentations
80%
75%
to 80% by 2012-13.
70%
65%
Sources: Australian Hospital Statistics
60% 2002-03 to 2009-10, produced by the
Australian Institute of Health and
55%
Welfare.
50%
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 2 3
2-0 3-0 4-0 5-0 6-0 7-0 8-0 9-1 1-1 2-1
200 200 200 200 200 200 200 200 201 201
National Average (all Cats)

6. Four hour length of stay
2006-07 to 2009-10 by Jurisdiction
Source: Expert Panel Review of Elective and Emergency Access
Targets under the National Partnership Agreement in Improving
Public Hospital Services: Supplementary Annexure. Report to COAG: August 2011 p.46

7. Monthly performance against the Four Hour
Rule Program in Western Australia **July
2008 – April 2011

8. Data in Queensland
 Use of statistical process control charts
 Using routine data
 Starting point for learning and subsequent action to
improve quality of care
Duckett, S. et al, MJA, 19 November 2007

9. Queensland Health Annual Report 2007-08

10. MyHospitals
• Myhospitals presents information on hospitals throughout Australia and how they
compare against national and state and territory data, including:
– Hospital profile
– Services offered
– Number of admissions
– Waiting times for emergency departments and elective surgery
– Safety and quality (Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia; hand hygiene)
Visit the MyHospitals website at: http://www.myhospitals.gov.au/