❓ Mr. Cook requests data on hospital separation costs and seeks explanation for Rockingham General Hospital's higher costs. The Minister provides data and explains the historical reasons for Rockingham's cost structure, noting improvements.
AnsweredQoN 4589Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) For each quarter from January 2013 to June 2015 can the Minister provide the average weighted separation costs and the average number of weighted separations listed by hospital for each of the following hospitals: (a) Royal Perth Hospital; (b) Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital; (c) Joondalup Health Campus; (d) Osborne Park Hospital; (e) Swan District Hospital; (f) Armadale Kelmscott Hospital; (g) Rockingham General Hospital; (h) Fremantle Hospital; and (i) Fiona Stanley Hospital* (from last quarter 2014 to June 2015)? (2) Can the Department please explain why the average cost per weighted separation at Rockingham is so much higher than other hospitals?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
17 November 2015
Responded by
Minister for Health
Response time
35 days
(1) [See tabled paper no] provides the number of weighted separations for the selected hospitals, weighted using the WA Activity Based Funding (ABF) inpatient cost weights derived from the 2014/15 Independent Hospital Pricing Authority (IHPA) National Cost Weights.
[See tabled paper no] provides the cost per weighed separation (as per the ABF Framework) where the hospital costs are sourced from the National Hospital Cost Data Collection submissions to IHPA.
(2) Following a significant redevelopment at Rockingham several years ago the hospital was anticipated to have a large increase in activity and brought its staffing profile up. However the activity growth was slower than anticipated which left Rockingham with a high cost per weighted separation. Since then a combination of reducing costs and increasing activity has seen the hospital improve its position. The average cost per weighted separation at Rockingham General Hospital (RGH) has declined by approximately 2% per annum since July 2011.
It is expected that further improvements to the RGH's comparative cost per weighted separation will continue to be realised over future years. Whilst the detailed costing data has not been released for the more recent periods, the hospital is now one of the best performing hospitals against budget in SMHS and it is expected it to be toward the better end of the cost per separation profiles.
[See tabled paper no] provides the cost per weighed separation (as per the ABF Framework) where the hospital costs are sourced from the National Hospital Cost Data Collection submissions to IHPA.
(2) Following a significant redevelopment at Rockingham several years ago the hospital was anticipated to have a large increase in activity and brought its staffing profile up. However the activity growth was slower than anticipated which left Rockingham with a high cost per weighted separation. Since then a combination of reducing costs and increasing activity has seen the hospital improve its position. The average cost per weighted separation at Rockingham General Hospital (RGH) has declined by approximately 2% per annum since July 2011.
It is expected that further improvements to the RGH's comparative cost per weighted separation will continue to be realised over future years. Whilst the detailed costing data has not been released for the more recent periods, the hospital is now one of the best performing hospitals against budget in SMHS and it is expected it to be toward the better end of the cost per separation profiles.
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