Average Emergency Department cost per weighted activity unit
Outcome one // Efficiency KPI
Service two: Public hospital emergency services
Rationale
This indicator is a measure of the cost per WAU compared with the State target as approved by the Department of Treasury, which is published in the 2025-26 Budget Paper No. 2, Volume 1.
The measure ensures that a consistent methodology is applied to calculating and reporting the cost of delivering Emergency Department (ED) activity against the state’s funding allocation. With the increasing demand on EDs and health services, it is important that ED service provision is monitored to ensure the efficient delivery of safe and high-quality care.
Target
The 2025-26 target for average ED cost per WAU is $8,094. Improved or maintained performance is demonstrated by a result below or equal to target.
Results
| Year | Target | Actual | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years 2025-26 | Target $8,094 | Actual $8,874 |
|
| Years 2024-25 | Target | Actual $8,753 |
|
| Years 2023-24 | Target | Actual $8,405 |
|
| Years 2022-23 | Target | Actual $7,630 |
|
Commentary
Whilst the 2025-26 financial year observed a slight decline in emergency presentations (1.4 per cent), the cost of providing care within EDs rose to support the acuity and complexity of those presentations, alongside an overall increase in workforce-related costs.
The emergency area remained a priority focus area to improve operational efficiency whilst maintaining care 24/7, with examples including increased point of care testing and increased nursing rosters.
Period: 2022-23 – 2025-26 financial years
Contributing sites: Armadale Hospital, Royal Perth Hospital, St John of God Midland Public Hospital
Data source: OBM allocation application; Oracle 11i financial system; Emergency Department Data Collection (EDDC)