Highlights 2019-20

Welcome to the Eastern Health Report to the Community for 2019/2020; a chance to highlight our performance in a number of key clinical areas as well as demonstrating our commitment to providing safe, high-quality health care.

Since our inception in 2000, Eastern Health has focused on delivering the best possible healthcare outcomes through responsive and values-based care for our consumers, staff, and the wider community.

Through engagement with our staff and consumers, we are able to continue to grow as an organisation and develop innovative ways in which to provide excellent care. As demonstrated in this publication, the feedback we receive from our community plays a central role in what we do to advance the services we offer.

Eastern Health continues to work with community healthcare providers such as general practitioners, community health services and affiliated healthcare agencies, and partner with our patients, clients, residents and carers to provide a service that is responsive and meets the dynamic requirements of a diverse population.

We acknowledge all staff and volunteers for their exceptional work and commitment to the provision of safe, high-quality and innovative health care. We also recognise our community for its continued support and engagement with us.

It has been a year like no other, with the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically changing the way we live, work and care for our community. The pandemic required Eastern Health to pivot from normal operations to support the Australian and Victorian responses and lead the local response to COVID-19.  Despite these challenges, we have many achievements to recognise. Our commitment to provide great care for our patients has continued to be at the forefront of everything we do.

 

Our volunteers: 1,375,037 Episodes of patient care – up 2.1% or 25,666 more episodes. 51,749 ambulance arrivals to our three emergency departments – up by 3.4% – that’s approximately one ambulance every 10 minutes. 16,038 patients admitted for elective surgery – 11.5% less than the previous year*. 118,080 hours of Volunteer service up until March 2020 when the Volunteer Program was suspended due to COVID-19 restrictions. 652 volunteers contributed. Average 76% of ambulance patients transferred within 40 minutes. 277,766 specialist clinic appointments – 1.7% less than last year* 37,921 operations – 5.1% less than the previous year* 4702 people admitted to our mental health inpatient units 167,034 emergency department presentations – that’s approximately one person every three minutes 4790 babies born *Elective surgery and specialist clinic appointments were impacted by COVID-19 restrictions. 92: number of nationalities that make up the Eastern Health workforce. 24: number of staff who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. 288,956 occasions of service provided by mental health community services