Public Hospital Report Card 2023

South Australia

AMA(SA) President’s Introduction

Dr John Williams

AMA(SA) President

Our health system is a disaster, in South Australia and across the nation. With the limited political response and financial investment to fix what the AMA and other groups highlight as the pressing issues, it is difficult to understand if it will ever recover. I wonder what the next generations of Australians will accept as ‘normal’.

In South Australia, COVID continues to preoccupy resources and attention. It continues to create staff shortages, through workforce illness and the capacity of SA Health to attract health practitioners. It continues to amplify already problematic issues of workplace stress, especially for junior doctors. And, of course, the virus itself is not going away.

Data collected for this Report Card demonstrates the impact of the health crisis on our public hospital system – which, in turn, reflects the awful scenario confronted by patients who present to our emergency departments seeking urgent care. Across the country, in 2021-22, the proportion of Triage category 3 (Urgent) Emergency Department patients seen within recommended 30 minutes dropped to 58 per cent nationally - the lowest number since the AMA started tracking ED performance in 2002-03. And in South Australia, the proportion is less than half.

South Australia is again one of the worst-performing states in completing ED presentations within four hours – and that’s within a nation where the overall performance has again declined.

We urgently need governments at all levels to invest in public hospitals and primary care, aged care and disability services, and a Medicare system that ensures health care remains accessible and affordable to all.

Our hospital system needs a crash cart; meanwhile, it is failing patients who should be able to find and receive efficient, effective, world-class emergency health care when they need it.


Emergency department

Following the increase of 8.4 per cent in emergency presentations in 2020-21 compared to the year before,67 , in 2021-22 South Australia recorded a slight decrease of 1.3 per cent.68

Waiting times

Percentage of triage Category 3 (Urgent) emergency department patients seen within recommended time (< 30 minutes) - South Australia

In 2021-22 the percentage of Category 3 emergency presentations seen on time in South Australia was 45 per cent, a 5.0 per cent drop compared to the year before and 27 per cent below the best performing state.

Source:  The State of our Public Hospitals (DOHA 2004-2010). Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). Emergency department care 2010-2021-22

Percentage of emergency department visits completed in four hours or less - South Australia

Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). Emergency department care (2011-12 to 2021-22): Australian hospital statistics.  
Note: National emergency access targets were abolished with effect from 1 July 2015

Planned surgery

Waiting times

Following the increase in  the volume of Category 2 planned surgeries in 2020-21 by 2.3 per cent,69 in 2021-22, the number of planned surgery admissions in South Australia dropped by 8 per cent.70

Median waiting time for elective surgery (days) - South Australia compared to best and worst performing State or Territory

Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). Planned surgery data cubes (2001-02 to 2006-07): Australian hospital statistics. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). Planned surgery waiting times (2007-08 to 2021-22): Australian hospital statistics 

Category 2 patients

Percentage of Category 2 elective surgery patients admitted within the recommended time (90 days) South Australia

62 per cent of patients on the Category 2 planned surgery waiting list were seen within the recommended 90 days in South Australia in 2021-22, same as the year before.

Source: The State of Our Public Hospitals (DoHA 2004-2010) FOI request reference 253-1001 lodged June 2011. 2011-12 estimate based on State and Territory Government published data; State and Territory data for 2012 calendar year published by Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) National emergency access and planned surgery targets 2012: Australian hospital statistics. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) Planned surgery waiting times 2013-14 to 2021-22: Australian hospital statistics  
2010-12 data not available

Public hospital funding

The most recent public hospital funding data is 2020-21, so it is affected by COVID19 response.

Commonwealth and South Australian government per person funding for public hospitals (constant prices)

Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) 2022, Health Expenditure Australia: 2008-09 to 2019-20 viewed 10 February 2022 https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/health-welfare-expenditure/health-expenditure-australia-2019-20/contents/main-visualisations/overview

Per person average annual per cent increase in public hospital funding by government source (constant prices)

2008-09 to 2012-13 2013-14 to 2017-18 2018-19 to 2020-21 2008-09 to 2020-21
South Australia Government 6.2% 2.6% -5.9% 2.90%
Commonwealth -2.0% 2.1% 7.9% 0.63%

67 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2022. Australian Hospital Statistics: Emergency department care 2020-21 table 2.2 viewed 1 February 2022 https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/0d0d6cbf-e764-4a89-a71a-b03c5156235d/Emergency-Department-Care-2020-21.xlsx.aspx

68 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2023. Australian Hospital Statistics: Emergency department care 2021-22 table 2.2 viewed 17 February 2023

69 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2022). Australian Hospital Statistics: Planned surgery waiting times 2020-21 Table 4.15 viewed 2 Feb 2022 https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/9d847d52-b1d3-4366-9900-1a0d4db1055d/Planned-surgery-waiting-times-2020-21.xlsx.aspx

70 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2023). Australian Hospital Statistics: Planned surgery waiting times 2021-22 Table 2.4 viewed 17 Feb 2023