By YASEMIN TALAT
WERRIBEE Mercy Hospital staff treated a record number of patients in the last quarter resulting in major improvements to the hospital’s overall performance.
The latest Victorian Health Services Performance data shows that the Werribee Mercy Hospital was performing well as part of the public health system, treating more patients than ever before.
The hospital admitted 6438 patients in the three months to the end of June, an increase of almost 1000 patients.
The hospital also admitted more emergency patients in the June quarter.
Mercy Health Executive Director Health Services Linda Mellor said the Victorian Health Services Performance data was a credit to all Werribee Mercy Hospital staff.
“The June quarter was extremely busy at Werribee Mercy Hospital with a record number of patients being cared for,” Ms Mellor said.
“We have seen a reduction in those waiting for elective surgery, and a greater number of patients being treated in our outpatient specialist clinics,” she said.
The hospital improved its performance in a number of key areas including reducing the number of patients on the elective surgery waiting list from 716 at the end of June 2012 to 510 at the end of this quarter.
Overall staff treated 919 patients from the elective surgery waiting list in the June quarter, up on the 690 waiting list admissions in the previous months.
The hospital also performed well in its treatment of emergency patients.
One hundred per cent of Category 1 emergency patients were treated immediately on arrival at the hospital’s emergency department.
And 87 per cent of Category 2 patients were treated within 10 minutes of arrival, an increase from the 78 per cent in the June quarter of last year and beating the state-wide target of 80 per cent.
Treatment of Category 3 patients was also up from last quarter, 81 per cent compared to 77 per cent last June quarter and again above the benchmark target of 75 per cent.
“These results are testament to our hard-working and dedicated teams, and improved efficiencies throughout our hospital,” Ms Mellor said.
“We are now preparing for a busy Christmas period.”
