How our public hospitals are faring

PUBLIC HOSPITALS: A REPORT CARD BY THE AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION

* Public hospitals are facing a growing funding crisis.

* Sixty-eight per cent of emergency department patients classified as urgent in 2014-15 were seen within the recommended 30 minutes.

* No improvement in percentage of emergency department visits completed in four hours or less: 73 per cent is well short of the 90 per cent target set by state and territory governments.

* The national median waiting time for elective surgery reduced by one day to 35 days, rising steadily since 27 days in 2001.

Source: AMA, 2016 Public Hospital Report Card