Emergency department presentations
Introduction
In 2006, among adults aged 16 years and over, there were approximately 1,374,000 presentations to emergency departments in New South Wales hospitals.[1] To monitor the quality of care received at emergency departments, in 2006 the New South Wales Population Health Survey asked respondents: In the last 12 months, have you attended a hospital emergency department (or casualty) for your own medical care? Overall, what do you think of the care you received at this emergency department? If care was rated as Fair or Poor, respondents were also asked: Could you briefly describe why you rated the care you received as Fair or Poor?
Results
Presentations to emergency departments
In 2006, the New South Wales Population Health Survey estimated that approximately 14.1 per cent of adults presented to an emergency department on one or more occasions in the previous 12 months. There was no significant variation between males and females. A significantly higher proportion of adults aged 75 years and over (18.3 per cent) presented to an emergency department, compared with the overall adult population.
A significantly higher proportion of adults in rural areas (17.8 per cent) than urban areas (12.4 per cent) presented to an emergency department. A higher proportion of adults in the North Coast (20.6 per cent) and Greater Western (20.0 per cent) Health Areas, and a lower proportion of adults in the Sydney West Health Area (11.2 per cent), presented to an emergency department, compared with the overall adult population.
There was no variation in the proportion of adults presenting to an emergency department by level of socioeconomic disadvantage.
Overall, emergency department presentations did not vary significantly between 1997 and 2006, although there was significant increase in females (12.0 per cent to 14.0 per cent).
Rating of emergency department care
Those who presented to an emergency department were asked to rate the care they received: 32.2 per cent rated their care as excellent, 26.0 per cent as very good, 23.0 per cent as good, 9.4 per cent as fair, and 9.5 per cent as poor. Responses of excellent, very good and good were combined into a positive rating of care.
Overall, 81.1 per cent of adults gave a positive rating to the care they received. There was no significant variation between males and females. A significantly higher proportion of adults aged 65-74 years (92.9 per cent) and 75 years and over (91.3 per cent) rated their care positively, compared with the overall adult population.
Overall, a significantly higher proportion of adults in rural areas (86.4 per cent) than urban areas (77.8 per cent) rated their care positively. A higher proportion of adults in the Greater Southern Health Area (87.9 per cent) rated their care positively, compared with the overall adult population.
There was no variation in the proportion of adults who rated their care positively by level of socioeconomic disadvantage.
The proportion of adults who rated their care positively did not vary significantly between 1997 and 2006.
The main reason for rating care as fair or poor was waiting time (65.0 per cent) followed by: poor or inadequate service (30.2 per cent), poor attitude of clinical staff (14.5 per cent), poor technical skill of clinical staff (13.2 per cent), communication problems (12.9 per cent), not enough staff (12.8 per cent), inadequate medication or management (8.8 per cent), misdiagnosis or contradictory diagnosis (4.0 per cent), sent home without treatment or follow-up (2.7 per cent), and poor accommodation quality (2.6 per cent).
References
- NSW Emergency Department Data 2006 (HOIST). Centre for Epidemiology and Research, NSW Department of Health.
Graphs
- Emergency department presentation in the previous 12 months by age
- Emergency department presentation in the previous 12 months by socioeconomic disadvantage
- Emergency department presentation in the previous 12 months by health area
- Emergency department presentation in the previous 12 months by year
- Emergency department care ratings
- Emergency department care rated as excellent, very good or good by age
- Emergency department care rated as excellent, very good or good by socioeconomic disadvantage
- Emergency department care rated as excellent, very good or good by health area
- Emergency department care rated as excellent, very good or good by year
- Reason for rating most recent emergency visit as fair or poor
| Source: | New South Wales Population Health Survey 2006 (HOIST). Centre for Epidemiology and Research, NSW Department of Health. |
| Print version: | Although this page can be printed directly from your web browser, a higher quality version is available as a PDF file that can be printed or viewed on screen. |
| Produced by: | Centre for Epidemiology and Research, Population Health Division, NSW Department of Health. |
| Last updated on: | 1 July 2007 |