Real-time data could misinform critical patients, Queensland Health feared

Public health leaders feared the Queensland government’s real-time hospital website would confuse patients in need of critical care and lead to misinformed decisions when seeking emergency attention.

The Crisafulli government unveiled its website with near real-time hospital performance data earlier this year as part of its delivery of election promises under the LNP’s 100-day plan.

Live access to health data in the state’s emergency departments was proposed by the government as a transparency measure that would improve patient wait times and reduce the number of ambulances being held-up outside hospitals.

The LNP government unveiled the real-time data website in February.Credit: Jono Searle - Getty Images

The promise to publish data in real time was also based on persistent criticism levelled at the former Labor government, who were routinely derided by the LNP for a lack of transparency.

But ministerial briefing notes from Queensland Health raised concerns the website would lead to patients incorrectly prioritising a hospital based on the online data.

The notes, sought in a Right to Information request by Labor leader Steven Miles, were provided by the government soon after being released to the opposition.

“Publishing near real-time data can help hospitals monitor and respond to increases in patient flow but can also influence patient behaviour,” the department wrote.

“Patients may make misinformed decisions in emergency situations based on perceived waiting times at local health facilities.”

The Crisafulli government has argued the introduction of real-time data has already improved patient flow at emergency departments, citing monthly figures that ambulance ramping was 3.2 percentage points lower in May compared to the corresponding period last year.

But opposition health spokesperson Mark Bailey recently accused the government of using its directive to turn emergency department patients over within 24-hours or risk losing funding as an effort to “fudge” figures to “make their ‘real-time’ data look good”.

Queensland Health Minister Tim Nicholls, centre, in parliament.Credit: Jamila Filippone

The RTI documents also reveal Queensland Health flagged concerns with Health Minister Tim Nicholls that the rushed delivery of the website would mean the department would need to repair technical issues with the site on-the-run.

“To meet critical project timeframes, website technical development has commenced and the ability to amend the proposed design is restricted until following the proposed go-live date of 3 February, 2025 when additional changes can be applied if required,” the department wrote.

“Condensed project timelines restrict ability to amend proposed design prior to scheduled release date. Non-critical design amendments will require deferment following initial go live.”

Queensland Health was also concerned the lack of data validation meant the website was “subject to data entry error and potential outages/data feed errors.”

The government argues, however, the rushed delivery was needed to meet its pre-election promise to roll out the website within 100 days of governing.

When unveiling the website in February, Nicholls said patients in need of emergency care should go to their nearest emergency department or call an ambulance on triple zero.

“It’s vitally important that Queenslanders get the right care for their condition,” the Health Minister said at the time.

The Australasian College for Emergency Medicine has previously stated there was “no such thing as ‘best’ or ‘worst’” sites and urged people to go to their local emergency department.

“EDs are one part of an interconnected web of under-resourced, understaffed health services. Wait time data, looked at in isolation, does not give a complete picture of the care received in the ED.”

This month, ACEM noted the peak body had recommended a more nuanced set of targets be adopted and publicly reported by Queensland Health which were “less likely to be ‘gamed’” than single point-of-time targets.

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