Annual Report - Outcome 13: Acute Care > Part 2 Performance Information

Performance Information for Administered Items

Administered Funding – Acute Care Programs, including:

Blood and Organ Donation Services;
Medical Indemnity; and
Public Hospitals and Information.

Indicator	Measured by	Reference Point or Target
Access to free public hospital emergency services.	Number of public emergency department patients per 1,000 weighted population.	The same or increase on previous year.
2006–07 data not available.	There were 223 emergency department patients per 1,000 weighted population in 2005 – 06, an increase of 16 since 2004 – 05. Figures for 2006–07 will be available in June 2008. These figures will be published in The State of Our Public Hospitals 2008 report, which will be available on the Department's website.
Timely treatment of public emergency department patients.	Proportion of public emergency department patients seen within the recommended timeframe.	Increased performance across each state and territory.
2006–07 data not available.	Nationally, 69.0% of emergency departments were seen within the recommended time in 2005-06, which was the same as in 2004 – 05. New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia improved slightly since 2004 – 05, but performance in the other states and territories declined. Figures for 2006–07 will be available in June 2008. These figures will be published in The State of Our Public Hospitals 2008 report, which will be available on the Department's website.
Timely public admission of people for elective surgery.	Proportion of public patients admitted for elective surgery within the clinically appropriate timeframe.	Increased performance across each state and territory.
2006–07 data not available.	81.0% of people were admitted for elective surgery within the recommended time in 2005 – 06, a decrease of 1.0% since 2004 – 05. New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and Tasmania improved slightly since 2004 – 05, but performance in the other states and the Northern Territory declined. Figures for 2006–07 will be available in June 2008. These figures will be published in The State of Our Public Hospitals 2008 report, which will be available on the Department's website.
Reduction in the number of doctors requiring support under the Premium Support Scheme because this indicates that medical indemnity premiums are becoming more affordable relative to gross private medical income.	Number of doctors participating in the Premium Support Scheme.	Reduction in number of participating doctors.
Indicator met.	3,533* doctors participated in the Premium Support Scheme in 2006–07, a slight reduction from 3,573 in 2005 – 06. The participation number for 2005 – 06 is different from previously reported as there have been improvements in the method used to report on subsidy payments. * There is potential for variation in the 2006–07 participation numbers as the scheme's reconciliation period extends 13 months after the end of the financial year.
Increased rate of organ donation.	Rate of organ donations.	Increase on previous year.
Indicator not met.	In 2006, there were a total of 202 organ donors, a rate of 10 donors per million population. This is a slight decrease on the previous year of 204 donors, which also equated to a rate of 10 donors per million population.
Accurate costing and reporting of hospital activity.	Maintenance of the Australian Refined Diagnosis Related Group (AR-DRG) classification and national hospital cost and benchmarking data.	National hospital cost data collection round 9 reported by August 2006. New version of AR-DRG software to be available by October 2006.
Indicator met.	The national hospital cost data collection round 9 report was released in September 2006. AR-DRG software version 5.2 was released in September 2006.

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Performance Information for Departmental Outputs

Output Group 1. Policy Advice, including:

Blood and Organ Donation Services;
Medical Indemnity;
Public Hospitals and Information; and
2006–07 Budget measures.

Indicator	Measured by	Reference Point or Target
Quality, relevant and timely advice for Government decision-making.	Ministerial satisfaction.	Maintain or increase from previous year.
Indicator met.	Ministers were satisfied with the quality, relevance and timeliness of advice provided for Government decision-making.
Relevant and timely evidence-based policy research.	Production of relevant and timely evidence-based policy research.	Relevant evidence-based policy research produced in a timely manner.
Indicator met.	The Department provided high quality and timely evidence- based research and analysis to inform the Government within the timeframes required. The Plasma Fractionation Review Report was provided to the Government in advance of the 1 January 2007 timeline set in the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement.

Top of pageOutput Group 2. Program Management, including:

financial management and reporting;
development and management of grants and contracts; and
administration and revision of legislation as required.

Indicator		Reference Point or Target
Administered budget predictions are met and actual expenses vary less than 0.5% from budgeted expenses.	Percentage that actual expenses vary from budgeted expenses.	0.5% variance from budgeted expenses.
Indicator met.	Actual expenses varied by 0.21% from budgeted expenses in 2006–07.
Stakeholders to participate in program development.	Opportunities for stakeholder participation through a range of avenues, such as surveys, conferences and meetings.	Stakeholders participated in program development eg. through surveys, conferences and meetings.
Indicator met.	The Department works with consumers, industry and all State and Territory governments towards improving the provision of acute care hospital services. In November 2006, the Department facilitated the Biennial Health Conference: Exploring and Debating Acute Care Provision which was attended by over 320 stakeholders.

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Performance Improvement Initiatives

Initiative:	Australian Health Care Agreements
Aim:	The Australian Health Care Agreements require all states and territories to provide performance information on public hospital services to enable improvements through monitoring and benchmarking.
Outcome:	In 2006–07, the Department worked with states and territories to develop new performance indicators, including emergency and outpatient services indicators. The Department also facilitated the development of an enhanced framework of indicators for all hospital services, including proposed new indicators on safety and quality in hospital care, which are being considered by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care.

Initiative:

Australian Health Care Agreements

Aim:

The Australian Health Care Agreements require all states and territories to provide performance information on public hospital services to enable improvements through monitoring and benchmarking.

Outcome:

In 2006–07, the Department worked with states and territories to develop new performance indicators, including emergency and outpatient services indicators. The Department also facilitated the development of an enhanced framework of indicators for all hospital services, including proposed new indicators on safety and quality in hospital care, which are being considered by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care.

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Performance Assessment: Reviews

Review:	Plasma Fractionation Review
Timeframe:	Commencement date: 17 February 2006 End date: 1 January 2007
Key Strategic Direction:	Review of Australia's Plasma Fractionation Arrangements
Web Address for Published Results:	<www.health.gov.au>

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Review:	Medical Indemnity Arrangements
Timeframe:	Commencement date: 1 December 2005 End date: 22 February 2007
Key Strategic Direction:	Implementation of the 2005 Medical Indemnity Policy Review Panel Recommendations
Web Address for Published Results:	<www.health.gov.au>