HOSPITAL SERVICES REPORT : ACCESS TO ELECTIVE SURGERY - NOV 96

How many patients are booked for elective surgery?

Booked patients at waiting list hospitals¹

	at 1 July 1993	at 1 April 1996	at 1 July 1996	Change (%) April to July 1996
Booked patients	9247	10300	11249	9.2

Patients are considered to be booked when they have been given a planned date within six weeks to be admitted to hospital for their elective surgery. Booked patients are not included in the waiting list statistics. Patients may be booked immediately at the time that they are referred for elective surgery or they may be booked after having waited on the waiting list. The ability of a hospital to offer bookings depends on a number of factors including (i) the urgency of the patient as determined by the treating surgeon, (ii) the suitability (fitness) of the patient to undergo surgery, (iii) availability of appropriately skilled surgical staff, operating theatre facilities, recovery room facilities, and general ward accommodation. Sources: Victorian Emergency Minimum Dataset, Agency Information Management System.

¹ Patients may be booked for elective surgery at any public hospital with surgical facilities. The data shown are for the designated waiting list hospitals only.

Source: Hospital waiting list returns