Department feels the pain as demand rises
CAIRNS Hospital is facing one of its biggest challenges to date, with a rise in up to 25 per cent more patients presenting to the Emergency Department each day.
So far this month, 221 people have presented to the ED per day – more than 10 per cent higher than the daily average.
Due to the surge in presentations, the hospital is currently operating in Code Yellow for the third time this month.
Director of emergency medicine Dr Richard Stone said the unprecedented demand was “causing extreme pressure on the system”.
He said additional staff and resources had been put on to keep up with the demand.
“It’s been busy over the whole of the summer period, but especially in February it’s been particularly busy,” he said. “Some days we’re seeing 25 per cent more patients that we did in the equivalent time last year.
“There have been two days this week where the department has seen 250 people. The department has never experienced this level of sustained high demand. Obviously it’s a strain on all of the staff and all of the resources.”
Dr Stone said while population increase was one of the primary factors, there hadn’t been a sharp rise in any one particular presentation.
“It does appear to be across a broad spectrum of different injuries and conditions,” he said. “We’re seeing … very sick patients come into the hospital.
“Flu is certainly in the community at the moment, but it’s a whole mixture of different illnesses and injuries that we’re seeing at the ED.”
Executive director Cairns services Tina Chinery said Queensland Health had committed $1 million funding to specifically increase ED bays and other infrastructure at Cairns Hospital to support increased activity into the future.
She said the hospital workforce would also be reviewed to help cater for the demand.
“We are seeing a year-onyear increase of about four per cent and we are predicting that increase will continue,” she said.
Ms Chinery said a plan was in the works to allow for expansion of the ED as required.
“We aren’t planning on changing the ED entry, different models of care though may be where people have treatment elsewhere rather than in the ED because it’s not an emergency,” she said.
Dr Stone urged people with less urgent conditions to consider seeing other service providers to avoid putting even further strain on the ED. Phone 13 HEALTH (432584) for advice on health conditions