Statewide performance
There are currently 106 reporting hospitals in Queensland. Each year, these hospitals admit almost 1.6 million patients and provide more than 2.3 million emergency services and more than 6.5 million outpatient services.
To ensure Queenslanders have access to world-class health care, Queensland Health closely monitors Hospital and Health Service (HHS) performance to improve the healthcare system, optimise resources and provide better experiences and outcomes for patients. Scroll down to read more about activity, resources and performance across the state.
Statewide activity
Queensland Health delivers close to 6 million different health services per year. Activity across the state includes admitted patient services (patients that have been formally admitted and are allocated to a hospital bed) and non-admitted patient services. Non-admitted patient services, also known as ‘outpatient services’ are service events that include a range of outpatient activity mainly specialist clinic appointments, allied health services and some clinical procedures (such as clinical measurement). It does not include pathology (blood tests) or the full range of diagnostic services (such as general imaging, CT scans, MRI and PET).
The following information relates to the activity that passes through Queensland Health during the specified period.
Long-stay patients
Queensland Health reports long-stay patient data to assist in efficient resource allocation and improved patient care. Measuring the volume of long-stay patients enables hospitals to tailor care plans and facilitate timely transitions to appropriate care settings to optimise patient outcomes.
A long-stay patient is an inpatient that is medically ready for discharge but is awaiting appropriate supports to transition to the community. Long-stay patients are categorised by age as either long-stay younger patients (LSYPs) or long-stay older patients (LSOPs). LSYPs are under the age of 65 and are typically waiting for support from the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) to be discharged. LSOPs are aged 65 or over, or 50 and over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and are eligible for aged care services.
Eligible Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50-64 can access Aged Care or the NDIS.
Statewide resources
Queensland Health utilises a number of resources to provide effective and efficient health services to Queenslanders. These resources encompass both equipment and human capital. Queensland Health monitors these resources throughout the period to ensure they meet demand and contribute to providing the highest standard of care for all patients.
Staffing
Staff counts are captured on a quarterly basis and are a headcount of Queensland Health staff (the number of individual staff members). These counts are compared periodically to consider seasonal variation and growth over time. The statewide staff count is the total of all Queensland Health facilities that report staffing across the state.
Statewide beds and bed alternatives
Queensland Health provides beds and bed alternatives for patient treatment. Patients may receive treatment in various types of beds and alternatives depending on their specific needs. Bed alternatives include Emergency department trolleys, specially equipped chairs for chemotherapy and renal dialysis treatments, stretchers in observation wards, and more.
Queensland Health reports the number of available beds and bed alternatives. For a bed or bed alternative to be reported as available, it must be situated in a suitable location for patient care and accessible to available nursing and auxiliary staff, either immediately or within 24 hours. Bed count is reported for Queensland Health's in-scope reporting facilities.
View statewide performance by area of care
To read more about statewide performance in the context of specific areas of care, click the links below.
Last updated: September 2024