PRIVATE Emergency Department presentations at St John of God hopsital have nosedived in the past two years since Fiona Stanley Hospital opened but births jumped more than 17 per cent in just one year.
St John of God Hospital chief executive officer John Fogarty attributed the 2776 fewer people coming to its ED to a preference for their GP.
“The drop in ED presentations has been mainly in categories of patients who could be treated by a GP but the number of admissions from ED has been steadily growing,” when asked if the drop had affected revenue.
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READ NOW“It has not had any effect on the services the hospital provides, nor necessitated a reduction in any of these services,” Mr Fogarty said.
Last financial year’s annual report also showed St John of God Murdoch Hospital was in the top 10 per cent of all public and private EDs in the country in the annual Press Ganey Survey.
The arrival of two extra obstetricians was the catalyst for the baby boom at the private hospital following the closure of maternity services at Attadale Private Hospital in July 2015.
“In 2013, an extra birth suite was added to the ward to help accommodate the anticipated increase in obstetric patients,” Mr Fogarty said.
“Additionally, the hospital is currently refurbishing the maternity ward to modernise the décor and make the surroundings as comfortable as possible for our patients.
“Similarly staff levels are adjusted according to patient numbers.”
In two years, the total number of procedures conducted at the Murdoch hospital have risen 7656 to nearly 44,826.
The 447-bed facility employed 1834 staff in the last financial year with 777 accredited doctors.
464388p Elham Kadkhodaie and husband Ali with baby Lara, St John of God Hospital Murdoch midwife Kendall Bull and Claire Wylie with baby Chantelle.
Emergency presentations by financial year:
2013/14 21,328
2014/15 20,130
2015/16 18,552
Births by financial year
2013/14 2176
2014/15 2105
2015/16 2473