Hospital wait times: private vs public

There are some key differences between how long you’ll wait for emergency treatment and elective surgery in public vs private hospitals. 

• Public hospital wait times for emergency treatment are typically categorised by the urgency of the patients’ situation, and vary widely between states.

• Public hospital wait times for elective surgery also vary widely between states and surgery type. Public patients cannot typically choose their preferred hospital and doctor.

• Waiting lists for elective surgery at private hospitals are usually significantly shorter. And if you have appropriate private health insurance, you can typically choose your preferred hospital and doctor.

Public hospital wait times: Emergency 

Public hospital wait times: Emergency (national)

Nationally, in 2022-23 patients waited longer, on average, in public hospital emergency departments than in 2019-20 and 2021-22. 

In 2022-23: 

•  90% of emergency patients were seen within 124 minutes.

• 50% of patients were seen within 20 minutes.

•  65% of patients were ‘seen on time’ for their triage category.

• The overall proportion of patients ‘seen on time’ has decreased slightly since 2021–22 (67%).

Public hospital wait times: Emergency (by state)

In 2022-23, New South Wales, Queensland and Victorian public hospitals recorded shorter average emergency department waiting times for 90% of patients than the national average. 

Public hospitals in Tasmania, Northern Territory, Western Australia, Australian Capital Territory and South Australia all recorded longer shorter average emergency department waiting times for 90% of patients than the national average. 

90% of patients in South Australia, on average, experienced the longest emergency wait times in public hospitals. 

 Table 1.1: Emergency public hospital wait times by state in 2022-23

Public hospital wait times: Emergency (by triage category – national)

When a patient first enters a hospital emergency department, a nurse will typically assess their symptoms and categorise the patient based on the urgency of their situation. 

This is called ‘triage’. It helps hospital staff ensure patients that require the most urgent care are prioritised. 

Five triage categories are generally used in public hospitals in Australia: 

• Resuscitation

• Emergency

• Urgent

• Semi-urgent

• Non-urgent 

Table 1.2: National public hospital emergency wait times by triage category in 2022-23

Public hospital wait times: Emergency (by triage category – by state)

In 2022-23, resuscitation triage wait times were minimal across all states, ranging from 0 to 2 minutes, which indicates an immediate response to the most critical emergencies.

South Australia recorded the longest wait time (59 minutes) for emergency triage, while Western Australia has the shortest (24 minutes). Most other states range between 26 and 38 minutes.

There is a notable disparity in wait times for urgent and semi-urgent categories among states. For instance, South Australia and Western Australia recorded longer wait times compared to New South Wales and Queensland across these categories.

Table 1.3: State public hospital emergency wait times for 90% of patients by triage category in 2022-23

Public hospital wait times: Elective surgery 

Public hospital wait times: Elective surgery (national)

Nationally, in 2022-23, public hospital waiting times for almost all elective procedures were longer than in 2021-22.

In 2022-23: 

• 50% of patients were admitted for elective surgery within 49 days, an increase from 40 days in 2021–22.

• 9.6% of patients waited longer than 365 days to be admitted for elective surgery, an increase from 6.3% in 2021–22.

• The median waiting time for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (First Nations) people (56 days) was higher than for other Australians (49 days).

Public hospital wait times: Elective surgery (by state)

In 2022-23, 90% of patients in New South Wales waited longer, on average, for surgery in public hospitals, and was the only state or territory to exceed the national average.

Over the same period, 90% of patients in Queensland experienced the shortest wait times, on average, for surgery in public hospitals.

Elective surgery wait times of 90% of patients in public hospitals in Victoria, Tasmania, Northern Territory, Western Australia, Australian Capital Territory and South Australia were all shorter the national average.

Table 1.4: Elective surgery public hospital wait times by state in 2022-23 

Public hospital wait times: Elective surgery (by clinical category)

In 2022-23, public hospital wait times for similar surgeries varied significantly between states.

Across all states, head and neck surgeries had the longest wait times, often exceeding 500 days. The wait time was longest in Victoria (602 days) and shortest in South Australia (384 days).

Plastic and reconstructive surgery wait times were the shortest overall. Northern Territory recorded the shortest waiting time (72 days), and Tasmania the next shortest (155 days).

Table 1.5: Public hospital wait times for 90% of patients by type of surgery and state in 2022-23 

How to check hospital wait times

Depending on where you live, you may be able to check public hospital wait times for emergency departments online. 

For example, New South Wales and Victoria both post real-time emergency wait times at participating hospitals online. 

In the public hospital system, wait times for elective surgery vary widely between states and the type of procedure. 

General guidelines for public hospital wait times for elective surgery are:

• Urgent surgery: Should be performed within 30 days.

• Semi-urgent surgery: Should be performed within 90 days.

• Non-urgent surgery: Should be performed within 365 days.  

What elective surgeries have the longest wait times

Hospital wait times for elective surgeries vary widely between states. See table 1.5 above 

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Sources

Emergency department care access, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare

Elective surgery, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare

Elective surgery access, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Emergency department care access

Elective surgery waiting times, Australian Patients Association

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Chris Stanley is the sales & operations manager of health insurance at Compare Club. With extensive experience and expertise, Chris is a trusted leader known for his deep understanding of health insurance markets, policies, and coverage options. As the sales & operations manager of health insurance, Chris leads a team of dedicated professionals committed to helping individuals and families make informed decisions about their health insurance needs.

Meet our health insurance expert, Chris Stanley

Chris's top health insurance tips

• 1

  Australia’s public health system is world-class, but wait times for public hospitals can be long, inconvenient - and leave you living in constant pain while you wait.

• 2

  An appropriate private health insurance policy can speed up your surgery, relieving your pain sooner.

• 3

  Family health cover means your children are covered under the same policy as you.

• 4

  Many health insurance policies come with a 12-month waiting period for pregnancy-related cover, so it’s a good idea to get a family policy organized well before starting your family. This means your child will be covered from birth until at least their early twenties (depending on which health fund you select).