How do lower urgency Emergency Department presentations vary across geographic areas?
This report describes results based on where people lived, not the location of the Emergency Department (ED). People can go to an ED outside their area.
Findings confirm that people living in regional Primary Health Network (PHN) areas had a higher rate of lower urgency ED presentations (167 presentations per 1,000 people in 2020−21 and 159 per 1,000 in 2021–22) than their metropolitan counterparts (100 per 1,000 people in 2020–21 and 97 per 1,000 in 2021–22).
There was considerable variation across PHNs. In 2021−22, Western NSW PHN (NSW) area had 340 presentations per 1,000 people, compared with 48 per 1,000 in Darling Downs and West Moreton PHN (Qld) area.
The proportion of lower urgency ED presentations in 2021–22 that occurred in-hours also varied across PHNs, ranging from 48% in Western Sydney PHN (NSW) area, to 66% in the Gold Coast PHN (Qld) area.
For detailed 2020–21 and 2021–22 data at the PHN and Statistical Area Level 3 (SA3) areas, refer to the data tab. For details about the geographical areas and groupings included in this report refer to the Technical notes.
For more information about EDs, including the most common patient diagnoses and ED presentations by state and territory, see MyHospitals: Emergency department care.
For more information about PHN, including what they are, what they do and a map of their boundaries, see Primary Health Networks.