REELING IN A RECORD
Hospital ED hooks in to help hapless anglers in busy year
NEARLY 70,000 70 patients were treated in Cairns Hospital’s emergency department during 2017 in a record r year for the health service. servi ED staff st were kept busy during the hectic 12-month period perio treating a majority of patients suffering chest che pain, abdominal painpa and acute appendicitis. di However they also spent a lot of time treating fishermen who accidentally h hooked parts of their b bodies, including their ow own wedding “tackle”.
FISHERMEN who accidentally hooked their own “tackle” or other unfortunate body parts were among a record number of patients treated at Cairns Hospital’s emergency department last year.
There was a total 69,652 admissions into the busy ward during 2017, a 1.5 per cent increase on the previous year.
In August, there were 6274 cases – the highest number of presentations the ED has ever had in a single month.
The most common complaints throughout the year were chest pain, followed by abdominal pain and acute appendicitis. However. Cairns Hospital acting director of nursing and midwifery Jarred Brose said there were plenty of unusual admissions during 2017, including 41 injuries relating to fishing hooks having to be removed from various body parts.
“We’ve had (fishing) hooks through eyes, ears, hands, feet, genitalia – obviously fishing is a dangerous sport,” he said.
He said, despite the record number of admissions, the ED was coping with the year-onyear increases in activity.
“We’ve got new models of care in place to deal with the influx of patients,” he said.
The hospital is planning a second cardiac catheter laboratory to assist with the rise in patients being treated for heart conditions.
The $2.8 million facility will allow cardiac patients to undergo electrophysiology procedures closer to home.
Mr Brose said the second cath lab would be especially needed during the Far North’s peak tourist season.
“Obviously over that period, we have a lot of elderly people coming up north, because of our winter,” he said.
“That contributes to the types of presentations we have with chest pain.”
Other usual presentations to the ED included cat scratches, ear wax build-up and accidental caffeine overdoses.
Mr Brose said in the case of caffeine overdoses – either from excessive consumption of coffee or energy drinks – ED staff needed to treat the cases seriously as patients could experience heart palpitations.
“I would encourage everyone to come to the emergency department if they feel it’s the right place for them to seek treatment,” he said.
“There will obviously be cases where, in my professional opinion, they should have sought services elsewhere.
“But I think for that individual, if they think they’re unwell and need to be seen by an emergency department, we should be encouraging them to come in.”
Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Services executive director Tina Chinery said the service experienced a 5 per cent decrease in ED presentations during the second half of last year for the less-serious categories of treatment.
She said there was an increase in more acute cases.
“This means fewer people are coming to the EDs with minor ailments that in many cases could be more appropriately treated by a GP,” she said.