Average Emergency Department cost per weighted activity unit 

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 2024-25 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 2024-25 target for average ED cost per WAU is $7,777. Improved or maintained performance is demonstrated by a result below or equal to target.

Results

Commentary

EMHS delivered average emergency department (ED) cost per weighted activity unit (WAU) at $8,753 per WAU. This is $976 above the 2024-25 target of $7,777 and $348 higher than the actual average cost of $8,405 in 2023-24.

The continuing upward trend in results across the four financial years reflects an overall increase in presentations to emergency departments and increased acuity of those attending emergency departments, alongside the increased staffing costs, particularly due to the 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year nature of emergency care services.