Metro North treating more patients than ever before
Metro North Hospital and Health Service (MNHHS) has strengthened its delivery of quality healthcare during 2014-15 while meeting significant demand in growth for services.
Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Cameron Dick said that in the past 12 months Metro North had provided 2.8 million episodes of care across all areas of the Hospital and Health Service.
“The Metro North HHS Annual Report captures the results of the staff, demonstrating their hard work, dedication and ongoing commitment to delivering safe, quality care to patients and their families,” he said.
“More than 218,500 people were admitted to Metro North’s five hospitals; that is an increase of 12,155 people on the previous year,” Mr Dick said.
“Metro North’s Emergency Departments also saw 268,773 attendances or an additional 14,005 people during the year.”
Metro North Hospital and Health Board Chair Dr Paul Alexander AO said that although the number of patients being seen in Emergency Departments had increased significantly, the majority had been admitted or treated and discharged within four hours of presentation.
He said a reduction in waiting times for specialist outpatient appointments had also been achieved in the past year and there had been no long wait dental lists.
“Elective surgery patients are also experiencing shorter wait times,” Dr Alexander said.
“The biggest improvement has been for non-urgent long wait patients requiring surgery.
“At June 30, 99% of elective surgery patients had been seen within the clinically recommended timeframes.”
Chief Executive Ken Whelan said a key achievement in the past year had been the development and implementation of the Health Service Strategy 2015-2020, allowing Metro North to address the challenges of growing demand and actively plan for the future.
“A number of projects have already been delivered, including additional Intensive Care beds at Redcliffe and Caboolture Hospitals,” Mr Whelan said.
Other achievements in 2014-15 include the provision of specialist children’s audiology and paediatric Ear, Nose and Throat services at Caboolture Hospital; expansion of telehealth services and the establishment of the $1 million LINK (Leading Innovation through Leading Innovation through Networking and Knowledge-sharing) initiative for partnerships in continuity of care.
“All these improvements would not have been possible without the dedication and innovation of our staff who work together to provide quality health care for our community,” Mr Whelan said.
The Metro North Hospital and Health Service Annual Report 2014-2015 is available online.
2014-15 at a glance
- 2.8 million episodes of care provided across our services
- 218,633 admissions to hospital
- 268,773 attendances in emergency departments
- 841,204 people received care as outpatients
- 91,617 ambulance arrivals handled by our emergency departments
- 7,916 babies born at our facilities
- 41,402 breastscreens performed