Ambulance service dashboard frequently asked questions

Why was the Ambulance Service dashboard developed?

The Ambulance Service dashboard assists SA Ambulance Services (SAAS) by providing a real-time display system showing the occupancy of metropolitan emergency department and inpatient beds to assist in the despatch of ambulances during busy periods.

The dashboard will be another tool for the teams at the SAAS emergency operations centre to make quick and well-informed decisions about which hospital is best to send patients to and will enable them to identify where specific requirements can be best met.

Why is this information being made available on the internet?

The Ambulance Service dashboard will provide the South Australian community with easy access to up-to-date information about how the State’s metropolitan public hospitals are performing.

It also helps to remove some of the mystique around how hospitals are run and inform the public about how patient flow is managed in a busy hospital environment.

Do other states in Australia publish this type of information?

South Australia is the first state in the country to make this level of extensive information regularly available to the public.

SA Health already publishes regular updates on a range of hospital data, including elective surgery waiting times and notifiable diseases.

By publishing regular Emergency Department patient flow data for all South Australian metropolitan hospitals, SA Health is increasing the transparency of its health system and helping to inform the public of the complexities involved in managing a busy hospital environment.

How often is the Ambulance Service dashboard updated?

The ED data is scheduled to update every 5 minutes, the inpatient data is scheduled to update from each hospital every 30 minutes and the ED 24 Hour Activity graph updates every hour.

What do hospitals use this information for?

The dashboard is just one of many tools that our hospitals use to manage and monitor patient flows. In addition to the dashboard, hospitals also monitor a range of other data to ensure that patient safety is maintained.

Are there common busy periods in hospitals?

All hospitals across the country experience periods of high demand.

It is important that people remember that hospital Emergency Departments are for emergencies. Anyone who does not need immediate, urgent care should visit their GP or phone Healthdirect Australia on 1800 022 222 for assistance.

How do SA’s statistics compare to the rest of Australia?

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s MyHospitals website includes comparisons on national public hospital performance statistics for waiting times for elective surgery and Emergency Department care.

When should people go to the Emergency Department?

Emergency departments are for emergencies. Anyone who needs emergency or urgent medical attention should call 000 as normal.

Anyone who does not require urgent care should visit their GP or phone Healthdirect Australia on 1800 022 222 for assistance.

Why is the Ambulance Service dashboard system not displaying the most up-to-date data?

Updates may be less frequent or unavailable due to unforeseen technical reasons or scheduled system maintenance. If an error message is displayed, please try again at another time.

What if the Ambulance Service dashboard is unavailable?

The dashboard may be unavailable due to unforeseen technical reasons or scheduled system maintenance. If an error message is displayed, please try again at another time.