TY - JOUR
T1 - Patients languishing in emergency departments
T2 - A descriptive analysis of mental health-related emergency department presentations in Australia between 2016-17 and 2020-21
AU - Brazel, Matthew
AU - Allison, Stephen
AU - Bastiampillai, Tarun
AU - Kisely, Stephen R.
AU - Looi, Jeffrey C.L.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2023.
PY - 2023/10
Y1 - 2023/10
N2 - Objective: In the context of concerns regarding hospital access block, this paper provides a descriptive longitudinal analysis of mental health–related ED episodes in Australian public hospitals between 2016-17 and 2020-21. Method: We descriptively analysed Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data for mental health–related ED presentations, outcomes and 5-year trends for Australian public hospitals. Results: There were more than 300,000 Australian mental health–related ED presentations in 2020-21. Presentations increased by an average annual rate of 2.8% between 2016-17 and 2020-21, commonly involving first responder (police, paramedic) attendance. From 2016-17 to 2020-21, the average annual rate of mental health–related ED presentations receiving a triage category of resuscitation increased by 13.7%, emergency by 9.4% and urgent by 4.7%. 90% of MH-related ED presentations were completed within 14 h, which was longer than the 90th percentile for all ED presentations (up to 8 h). Conclusions: Current mental health policies have not stemmed the rising tide of ED presentations. Mental health–related ED presentations are increasing in number and severity, likely due to health systemic and societal factors. Psychiatry patients stay longer in EDs than other patients. Healthcare reforms should be targeted to provide the best outcome based on principles of equity of access.
AB - Objective: In the context of concerns regarding hospital access block, this paper provides a descriptive longitudinal analysis of mental health–related ED episodes in Australian public hospitals between 2016-17 and 2020-21. Method: We descriptively analysed Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data for mental health–related ED presentations, outcomes and 5-year trends for Australian public hospitals. Results: There were more than 300,000 Australian mental health–related ED presentations in 2020-21. Presentations increased by an average annual rate of 2.8% between 2016-17 and 2020-21, commonly involving first responder (police, paramedic) attendance. From 2016-17 to 2020-21, the average annual rate of mental health–related ED presentations receiving a triage category of resuscitation increased by 13.7%, emergency by 9.4% and urgent by 4.7%. 90% of MH-related ED presentations were completed within 14 h, which was longer than the 90th percentile for all ED presentations (up to 8 h). Conclusions: Current mental health policies have not stemmed the rising tide of ED presentations. Mental health–related ED presentations are increasing in number and severity, likely due to health systemic and societal factors. Psychiatry patients stay longer in EDs than other patients. Healthcare reforms should be targeted to provide the best outcome based on principles of equity of access.
KW - Australia
KW - emergency department
KW - mental health
KW - outcomes
KW - services
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85170037438&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/10398562231195438
DO - 10.1177/10398562231195438
M3 - Article
SN - 1039-8562
VL - 31
SP - 646
EP - 651
JO - Australasian Psychiatry
JF - Australasian Psychiatry
IS - 5
ER -