Four Hour Rule Program delivers improved care

Health Minister Kim Hames said the Four-Hour Rule Program was delivering on its goal of improving the quality of care for patients who needed unplanned or emergency treatment in Western Australia's public hospitals.

"The results we are releasing today show that our hospitals have delivered strong results and I am very proud of what our staff have achieved," Dr Hames said.

"What is also clear 18 months into the program is that there have been big increases in demand for our services.  Delays in some key infrastructure projects have meant there are fewer beds than expected.

"In addition, the lack of GPs and aged care beds - both areas of Federal Government responsibility - are putting further pressure on the hospital system.  As a result, I have been advised that there is a need to adjust the ambitious targets we set.

"When the Four Hour Rule Program started, we gave ourselves two years less than the UK to meet the final target with stricter quality and safety protocols.

"In consultation with the Department of Health and senior hospital clinicians, I have agreed that Royal Perth, Sir Charles Gairdner and Fremantle hospitals re-set their target to 85 per cent of presentations meeting our four-hour goal in April 2011.

"Princess Margaret Hospital will keep its target of 98 per cent by April 2011.

"The Four Hour Rule Program has already delivered major benefits for the people of WA and the Liberal-National Government remains absolutely committed to it."

The number of patients arriving at metropolitan tertiary hospitals now being admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours, compared with the same time last year, has increased by 13 per cent at Fremantle Hospital, 31 per cent at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and by 48 per cent at Royal Perth Hospital.

"This has been achieved while also managing a five per cent increase in Emergency Departments (ED) demand in these hospitals in the past year.

"We are no longer seeing patients forced to wait in corridors and crowding is far less of an issue than it was when the program began."

Dr Hames said safety and quality improvement - not just waiting times - were at the heart of the program.

"Our metropolitan tertiary hospitals have seen a significant improvement in patient flow, with access block (where patients are waiting longer than eight hours for an inpatient hospital bed) falling from 36 per cent in September 2009 to 26 per cent in September 2010," he said.

"In fact, I believe WA is a national leader in access block performance.

"Patients have also reported being either more or as satisfied with emergency care and happier with the time, attention and information given to them at our hospitals since the program began.

"While not exclusively due to the Four Hour Rule Program, the safety and quality of care at our metropolitan tertiary hospitals is even better than before - MRSA rates have fallen by eight per cent; there has been no increase in sentinel events reported; and there has been a four per cent drop in people who left EDs without treatment."

The Minister said the State Government had already invested more than $10million in the program, but new additional funding was about to be allocated, including:

-              an extra $2million for an electronic bed management system. The new system will allow staff at each hospital to see a clear and immediate picture of which beds are being used and which are available for newly-admitted patients across the entire site

-              an additional $1million will be invested into staff development, including investment into medical and nursing leadership and training for junior doctors and ward staff

-              $120,000 to be spent on hand-held personal devices will be purchased to assist on-site medical staff working after-hours at major tertiary hospitals to allow them to track, prioritise, re-assign and pick-up tasks and direct them, to priority work while on night duty.

"Hospitals will also be looking at ways to improve the transfer of patients to secondary hospitals where they will receive appropriate care closer to where they live," Dr Hames said.

"The program is part of a broader strategy to meet growing demand and improve patient care, which also includes performing more elective surgery than ever before, employing a record 265 medical graduates next year, opening more than 440 additional beds and undertaking a huge investment in new infrastructure."

Statistics

Current data shows that the number of patients admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours, compared with the same time last year, increased by:

-              48 per cent, to 72 per cent at Royal Perth Hospital

-              four per cent, to 91 per cent at Princess Margaret Hospital

-              13 per cent, to 64 per cent at Fremantle Hospital

-              31 per cent, to 58 per cent at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.

The number of patients admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours at secondary hospital sites and Bunbury Hospital is:

-              71 per cent - Armadale Kelmscott District Memorial Hospital

-              74 per cent - Bunbury Regional Hospital

-              66 per cent - Joondalup Health Campus

-              77 per cent - Rockingham General Hospital

-              74 per cent - Swan District Hospital.

These hospitals have a target of 85 per cent by October 2011.

Targets for King Edward Memorial; Albany; Broome; Geraldton; Kalgoorlie; Port Hedland; and Nickol Bay hospitals and Peel Health Campus remain at 85 per cent by April 2011.

Minister's office - 9222 8788

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