title: Emergency presentations to Northern Territory public hospitals: demand and access analysis.
abstract: This study aims to quantify trends in emergency presentations to Northern Territory (NT) public hospitals over the past five years with respect to demand and access. Retrospective analysis was undertaken on data extracted from the NT Module of Caresys and the Hospital Morbidity Data System. There has been a 4.6% decrease in presentations to the five public hospitals between 1996 and 2001 compared to a 9.4% growth in the population. Despite the apparent decline in total presentations, the acuity of patients has increased dramatically over the same period. Access analysis of presentations seen within the recommended triage time revealed considerable variability, especially for triage categories 2, 3 and 4. The access block problem, discrepancies in recorded waiting time and irregularities among the regional hospitals within the triage system have also been identified. Recommendations including improved access to inpatient beds and admission to wards were developed in response to the changing role of the emergency department.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Curtin University of Technology.
authors.forename: Andy H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Lynn B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Meuleners
authors.forename: Yuejen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Methinee
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Intrapanya
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mowatt
mesh_terms: D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D006779:Hospitals, Public / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015876:Northern Territory / Q000453:epidemiology; D011158:Population Growth; D013997:Time Factors; D014218:Triage