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Real-world performance of Victorian hospitals during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
Allison, Stephen; Bastiampillai, Tarun; Looi, Jeffrey Cl; Copolov, David; Lakra, Vinay.
  • Allison S; College of Medicine and Public Health, 1065Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia; Consortium of Australian-Academic Psychiatrists for Independent Policy Research and Analysis (CAPIPRA), Canberra, ACT, Australia.
  • Bastiampillai T; Consortium of Australian-Academic Psychiatrists for Independent Policy and Research Analysis (CAPIPRA), Canberra, ACT, Australia; 6451Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, SA, Australia.
  • Looi JC; Consortium of Australian-Academic Psychiatrists for Independent Policy Research and Analysis (CAPIPRA), Canberra, ACT, Australia; Academic Unit of Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine, Australian National University Medical School, Canberra Hospital, ACT, Australia.
  • Copolov D; Department of Psychiatry, 6451Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
  • Lakra V; Department of Psychiatry, 6451University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Northern Area Mental Health Services, Melbourne Health, VIC, Australia.
Australas Psychiatry ; 30(2): 239-242, 2022 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1775218
ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE:

Victoria has low numbers of general adult psychiatric beds per capita by Australian and international standards. Hospital key performance indicators (KPIs) such as bed occupancy rates, emergency department waiting times and inpatient lengths of stay are proximal measures of the effects any shortfall in beds. We investigate the real-world performance of Victorian hospitals during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic and the extended lockdowns in 2020.

CONCLUSIONS:

The Victorian inpatient psychiatric system is characterised by high bed occupancies in many regions, extended stays in emergency departments awaiting a bed, and short inpatient lengths of stay, except for patients with excessively long stays on acute units (over 35 days) who are unable to be admitted to non-acute facilities. At the end of 2020, bed occupancies were high (above 90%) in 10 regions, with three regions having bed occupancies over 100%. However, state-wide average bed occupancy improved between 2019 (94%) and 2020 (88%). Other KPIs remained steady because acute hospitals did not experience the expected pandemic mental health demand-surge. For a more complete picture of the impact of the pandemic, Australia needs interconnected, centralised data systems.
Subject(s)

Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: COVID-19 Type of study: Observational study Limits: Humans Country/Region as subject: Oceania Language: English Journal: Australas Psychiatry Journal subject: Psychiatry Year: 2022 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: 10398562221079281

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: COVID-19 Type of study: Observational study Limits: Humans Country/Region as subject: Oceania Language: English Journal: Australas Psychiatry Journal subject: Psychiatry Year: 2022 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: 10398562221079281