Metro North Health reducing extended ED stays in busy communities

New initiatives such as Satellite Hospitals and Rapid Access Clinics are making it easier and faster for Metro North Health patients to be seen for non-urgent emergency care in the Metro North Health catchment.

Queensland data from 1 July 2023 to 31 October 2023 revealed 771,242 patients had presented to Queensland public hospitals, up 2.8 per cent from the same period last year.

While Metro North Health hospitals continually see its Category 1 and 2 patients within clinically recommended timeframes, it has been noted that some Category 4 and 5 patients can wait longer than desired, especially in peak periods.

However, significant investments in resolving this wait time for less-urgent patients, such as the newly opened Caboolture Satellite Hospital and most recently, Kallangur Satellite Hospital, are already showing eased pressure on our Emergency Departments and great patient outcomes.

Rapid Access Clinics across a range of Metro North Health facilities have also streamlined ED care, with dedicated specialist healthcare professionals able to treat patients sooner, outside of the physical ED.

Metro North Health Chief Executive Jackie Hanson said the team continued to provide a range of care avenues for patients.

“The newly opened Caboolture Hospital Emergency Department provides a significantly larger space which allows for a more streamlined model of care, including a dedicated paediatric ED, and the space is now staffed with more clinicians to see our patients sooner,” Ms Hanson said.

“Similarly, we opened our Kallangur Satellite Hospital recently, with a dedicated Minor Injury and Illness Clinic ready to provide non-urgent emergency care for this region, easing pressure on EDs especially in busy areas such as Caboolture and Redcliffe.”