Hon. Robyn McSweeney asks about emergency department categories and wait times at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. Hon. Ljiljanna Ravlich provides a detailed response outlining the national triage scale used and target wait times for each category.

AnsweredQoN 1294Legislative Council
Asked
16 April 2002
Portfolio
Health

QuestionView source ↗

SIR CHARLES GAIRDNER HOSPITAL, EMERGENCY CATEGORIES
(1) What categories does Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital have in its emergency department? (2) In what time frames in these categories are patients seen? For example, category 1 patients must be seen by a doctor within half an hour. (3) What are the time frames and some examples of patients in categories 1, 2, 3, etc? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the member for some notice of this question. A similar question on notice was asked on 9 April, which I believe has been answered. However, there is a slight difference between the two questions. (1)-(3) Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital uses the national triage scale, categories 1 to 5, and the 1998 “Australian Council on Healthcare Standards/EQuIP Aggregated National Data %” as the target threshold percentage for that NTS category. In category 1, 100 per cent of patients are seen immediately; examples are cardiac arrest, major trauma, unconscious patient and agitated psychotic. In category 2, 75 per cent of patients are seen within 10 minutes; examples are chest pain, marked shortness of breath and suicidal. In category 3, 75 per cent of patients are seen within 30 minutes; examples are abdominal pain, fractured hip, dislocated shoulder, moderate asthma and self-harm ideation. In category 4, 70 per cent of patients are seen within 60 minutes; examples are wrist or finger fracture and anxiety or long-term depression. In category 5, 80 per cent of patients are seen within 120 minutes; examples are soft tissue injury, minor sprains, earache and referral from a general practitioner for assessment to attend outpatient clinic.
(2) In what time frames in these categories are patients seen? For example, category 1 patients must be seen by a doctor within half an hour. (3) What are the time frames and some examples of patients in categories 1, 2, 3, etc? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. A similar question on notice was asked on 9 April, which I believe has been answered. However, there is a slight difference between the two questions. (1)-(3) Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital uses the national triage scale, categories 1 to 5, and the 1998 “Australian Council on Healthcare Standards/EQuIP Aggregated National Data %” as the target threshold percentage for that NTS category. In category 1, 100 per cent of patients are seen immediately; examples are cardiac arrest, major trauma, unconscious patient and agitated psychotic. In category 2, 75 per cent of patients are seen within 10 minutes; examples are chest pain, marked shortness of breath and suicidal. In category 3, 75 per cent of patients are seen within 30 minutes; examples are abdominal pain, fractured hip, dislocated shoulder, moderate asthma and self-harm ideation. In category 4, 70 per cent of patients are seen within 60 minutes; examples are wrist or finger fracture and anxiety or long-term depression. In category 5, 80 per cent of patients are seen within 120 minutes; examples are soft tissue injury, minor sprains, earache and referral from a general practitioner for assessment to attend outpatient clinic.
(3) What are the time frames and some examples of patients in categories 1, 2, 3, etc? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. A similar question on notice was asked on 9 April, which I believe has been answered. However, there is a slight difference between the two questions. (1)-(3) Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital uses the national triage scale, categories 1 to 5, and the 1998 “Australian Council on Healthcare Standards/EQuIP Aggregated National Data %” as the target threshold percentage for that NTS category. In category 1, 100 per cent of patients are seen immediately; examples are cardiac arrest, major trauma, unconscious patient and agitated psychotic. In category 2, 75 per cent of patients are seen within 10 minutes; examples are chest pain, marked shortness of breath and suicidal. In category 3, 75 per cent of patients are seen within 30 minutes; examples are abdominal pain, fractured hip, dislocated shoulder, moderate asthma and self-harm ideation. In category 4, 70 per cent of patients are seen within 60 minutes; examples are wrist or finger fracture and anxiety or long-term depression. In category 5, 80 per cent of patients are seen within 120 minutes; examples are soft tissue injury, minor sprains, earache and referral from a general practitioner for assessment to attend outpatient clinic.
Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. A similar question on notice was asked on 9 April, which I believe has been answered. However, there is a slight difference between the two questions. (1)-(3) Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital uses the national triage scale, categories 1 to 5, and the 1998 “Australian Council on Healthcare Standards/EQuIP Aggregated National Data %” as the target threshold percentage for that NTS category. In category 1, 100 per cent of patients are seen immediately; examples are cardiac arrest, major trauma, unconscious patient and agitated psychotic. In category 2, 75 per cent of patients are seen within 10 minutes; examples are chest pain, marked shortness of breath and suicidal. In category 3, 75 per cent of patients are seen within 30 minutes; examples are abdominal pain, fractured hip, dislocated shoulder, moderate asthma and self-harm ideation. In category 4, 70 per cent of patients are seen within 60 minutes; examples are wrist or finger fracture and anxiety or long-term depression. In category 5, 80 per cent of patients are seen within 120 minutes; examples are soft tissue injury, minor sprains, earache and referral from a general practitioner for assessment to attend outpatient clinic.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. A similar question on notice was asked on 9 April, which I believe has been answered. However, there is a slight difference between the two questions. (1)-(3) Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital uses the national triage scale, categories 1 to 5, and the 1998 “Australian Council on Healthcare Standards/EQuIP Aggregated National Data %” as the target threshold percentage for that NTS category. In category 1, 100 per cent of patients are seen immediately; examples are cardiac arrest, major trauma, unconscious patient and agitated psychotic. In category 2, 75 per cent of patients are seen within 10 minutes; examples are chest pain, marked shortness of breath and suicidal. In category 3, 75 per cent of patients are seen within 30 minutes; examples are abdominal pain, fractured hip, dislocated shoulder, moderate asthma and self-harm ideation. In category 4, 70 per cent of patients are seen within 60 minutes; examples are wrist or finger fracture and anxiety or long-term depression. In category 5, 80 per cent of patients are seen within 120 minutes; examples are soft tissue injury, minor sprains, earache and referral from a general practitioner for assessment to attend outpatient clinic.
(1)-(3) Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital uses the national triage scale, categories 1 to 5, and the 1998 “Australian Council on Healthcare Standards/EQuIP Aggregated National Data %” as the target threshold percentage for that NTS category. In category 1, 100 per cent of patients are seen immediately; examples are cardiac arrest, major trauma, unconscious patient and agitated psychotic. In category 2, 75 per cent of patients are seen within 10 minutes; examples are chest pain, marked shortness of breath and suicidal. In category 3, 75 per cent of patients are seen within 30 minutes; examples are abdominal pain, fractured hip, dislocated shoulder, moderate asthma and self-harm ideation. In category 4, 70 per cent of patients are seen within 60 minutes; examples are wrist or finger fracture and anxiety or long-term depression. In category 5, 80 per cent of patients are seen within 120 minutes; examples are soft tissue injury, minor sprains, earache and referral from a general practitioner for assessment to attend outpatient clinic.

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