Improving Patient Flow in Queensland Public Hospitals
Overview
Hospital Emergency Departments (EDs) are designed and resourced to be the first point of call for patients requiring urgent medical care. Since 2011-12, demand for ED services in Australia has outpaced population growth – culminating in over 8.8 million ED patient presentations in 2020-2021. EDs are impacted by several significant challenges leading to delays in patient flow. While demand for ED services is a contributor – EDs do not operate in isolation and are impacted by factors across the entire health system.
EMF is collaborating with Queensland Health’s Healthcare Improvement Unit at Clinical Excellence Queensland on a large research program to find effective and evidence-based solutions to improve patient flow in Queensland’s public hospitals. The research program is jointly funded by EMF and Queensland Health and consists of two parallel approaches.
1. Study to analyse patient flow in Queensland Hospitals
EMF has invited research teams to submit proposals for a broad, whole-of-system study to systematically establish the magnitude of factors leading to challenges with emergency access in Queensland public hospitals. The aim of the study is to establish an evidence base for factors leading to access block and use this evidence base to identify system-wide and local solutions to improve emergency access across the state. The findings will inform a set of recommendations to Queensland Health in implementing solutions that are practical and actionable.
Submissions are now closed and under review. Funding announcement will be made in due course.
2. Special Funding Round
EMF will run a competitive Special Funding Round to support clinician-led projects that aim to improve patient flow and reduce crowding across Queensland hospitals. Proposals may include the following:
- Exploration into services and models across the continuum of care to ensure emergency patients are treated at the right time, in the right place and by the right health professional.
- Targeted initiatives that focus on pre-hospital emergency care, the ED and intensive care to improve patient flow and streamline patient admission processes.
- Broader, whole of hospital solutions than can be trialled in selected settings or in multi-centre collaborations between major tertiary hospitals as well as regional hospitals.
- Technological solutions that can help identify and tackle delays in the patient journey (for example by providing real time analytics).
For this Special Funding Round, EMF is applying a two-step application process to support researchers and to reduce their workload: Applicants are invited to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) and only those who successfully traverse the EOI process will be asked to submit a full application. Shortlisted applicants will have approximately five weeks to prepare and submit a full application.
Important dates (2022) |
1 Aug 5 Sep 6-8 Sep Mid-late Sep 31 Oct 1-4 Nov Early Dec |
Expressions of Interest open Expressions of Interest close Eligibility and compliance check (applicants need to be contactable) Shortlisted applicants invited to submit full application Full applications close Eligibility and compliance check (applicants need to be contactable) Announcement of funding outcomes |
How to apply – Expression of Interest Stage
| Step 1: read the guidelines |
SPECIAL funding rOUND GUIDELINES (PDF) Download and read the guidelines for the Special Funding Round to ensure you meet the full eligibility criteria and for detailed information on completing your application. |
| Step 2: prepare your EOI |
Expression of interest TEMPLATE (WORD) You can use this template to build your EOI prior to submitting via our grant management platform, SmartyGrants. Please note SmartyGrants is not Word compatible therefore the online grant application will need to be populated by copying the content into the online form. |
| Step 3: lodge your EOI |
EMF uses SmartyGrants to process your application. The link above will take you to SmartyGrants where you can start, complete and submit your grant application. This SmartyGrants Help Guide explains the steps you need to take to complete and submit your grant application |
Shortlisted applicants will be contacted by EMF and invited to submit a full application. An application template will be available on this page in due course.
Should you have any questions please contact the EMF Research Team on (07) 3720 5700 or email grants@emfoundation.org.au.
