Wollongong Hospital’s Emergency Department (ED) has shown improvements in patient treatment times, with 76 per cent of patients receiving timely care. For the most critical patients, categorized as T2 Emergency, 56 per cent were treated within 10 minutes during the three months leading up to September 2023, a significant increase from 36.5 per cent in the same period the previous year.
Despite these improvements, a recent patient survey reveals growing dissatisfaction with the quality of care received at the ED. Key indicators suggest that communication is a pressing issue, as many patients reported that information was not explained clearly, and family members lacked opportunities to consult with healthcare professionals.
The latest report from the Bureau of Health Information, detailing the July to September quarter, indicates that the median time patients spent in Wollongong’s ED reached a record of 5 hours and 17 minutes, an increase of 18 minutes from the previous year.
Additionally, while improvements have been noted in the issue of “bed block,” where patients are delayed on ambulance stretchers, 84 per cent of those arriving by ambulance were admitted to the ED within 30 minutes. This marks a notable rise from 70 per cent during the same period last year.
In total, Wollongong ED received 18,482 attendances over the three-month period. Among the most serious cases, the rate of timely treatment for T2 patients improved by nearly 20 percentage points from last year. For T3 Urgent patients, 78 per cent began treatment on time, reflecting a 29 percentage point increase. Even non-urgent cases saw faster treatment, with 95 per cent being seen on time, which is up 13 percentage points from last year.
Health Minister Ryan Park attributed these improvements to a significant state investment of over $500 million aimed at reducing pressure on hospitals. This funding has facilitated the expansion of services like Healthdirect and virtual care, directing non-urgent cases away from emergency settings.
Despite these advancements in wait times and treatment initiation, patient feedback paints a less favorable picture. In the survey, only 49 per cent of respondents rated their care as “very good,” a slight decrease from the previous year. Furthermore, only 58 per cent indicated they would recommend the ED based on their experience.
Wollongong ED’s performance lagged behind similar facilities across New South Wales in 16 key categories, with no areas receiving significantly better ratings. The survey results highlighted that only 69 per cent of patients felt that information was conveyed in an understandable manner, well below the state average of 80 per cent.
Concerns extend to family involvement as well, with only 53 per cent of patients stating that their relatives had consistent opportunities to communicate with medical staff, a drop of 12 percentage points from last year. Additionally, only 56 per cent felt sufficiently involved in decisions regarding their care.
The report further indicated that just 36 per cent of patients were informed about expected wait times, while only 42 per cent received adequate information on what to expect during their visit.
As July to September typically represents a peak period for hospitals due to seasonal illnesses, this data reveals significant challenges for Wollongong Hospital’s ED. Notably, while the median time indicates that half of the patients were seen in less time, the longest 10 per cent waited as long as 20 hours and 14 minutes for treatment.
The continuing disparity between improved timeliness and declining patient satisfaction raises questions about the overall quality of care provided at Wollongong Hospital’s Emergency Department.
