When we’re acutely ill or injured, we want to be able to quickly access care in Australia’s hospital emergency departments (EDs). But more of us are seeking care in EDs. This went from 7.4 million in 2014–15 to 9.1 million in 2024–25. And the system is struggling to cope.
EDs are becoming more crowded and patients are staying in EDs for a lot longer. Around 10% of patents waiting for an inpatient bed spent 19 or more hours in an ED – six hours longer than they would’ve waited four years ago.
Around 10% of patients who were discharged home spent eight or more hours in an ED – almost two hours longer than four years ago.
