Young top the ED list
Most likely emergency patient is a teenage girl with chest pain
TEENAGERS and young adults account for the highest percentage of presentations to Tasmanian hospital emergency departments.
Among females, 15.7 per cent of the total presentations last financial year came from the 15-24 age group, while the figure was slightly lower among males at 13 per cent.
Those aged 25-34 were the next highest represented across both sexes, according to Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data.
Overall, pain in the chest and throat represented the most common reason for attendance at an emergency department, according to defined principal diagnoses results.
This was followed by abdominal or pelvic pain, dorsalgia (back or spine pain), open wounds on the hand or wrist, dislocations and sprains of the ankle or foot, and viral infections.
Yesterday, the Mercury reported 10 per cent of Tasmanians who presented to emergency departments last year had to wait more than 22 hours and 44 minutes to be admitted.
The figure was almost twice the national average, while the median waiting time for elective surgery was the worst in the country at 57 days.
Labor’s health spokeswoman Sarah Lovell said the statistics showed the Government had underfunded the health system.
“Their only plan is to cut more, and we know the health system is in line for their share of the $450 million of budget savings that the Government needs to find,’’ she said. “And yet we’re seeing report after report showing us that we have the worst performing hospitals in the country, and that Tasmanians are not able to access the health care that we need.”
Health Minister Sarah Courtney said too many people were waiting longer than necessary due to bed block.
Ms Courtney said the 44 new beds provided by the new K-Block redevelopment at the Royal Hobart Hospital would make a significant difference.
“We know it’s not the only solution, and we know collaboration such as with the private sector as well as other initiatives, will help ease our access block,’’ she said.
“We know Tasmanians are waiting too long and that is why we’re getting on with the job of opening more beds.”
Greens Franklin MP Rosalie
Woodruff said the report again showed the outcomes in Tasmania were inferior to other states.
“We keep hearing reports about this, the elective surgery waiting lists, the emergency department wait times,’’ she said. “It all comes back to a Liberal Government that, when it came to office, serially underinvested year-on-year in the health system.”
AMA Tasmanian branch president John Burgess said the data highlighted the pressure faced by doctors with increasing demand, particularly on the state’s emergency departments.