National elective surgery waiting times data collection

Identifying and definitional attributes

The National Elective Surgery Waiting Times Data Collection (NESWTDC) is compiled by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) from data supplied by the state and territory health authorities. It is a collection of electronic confidentialised summary records for patients on elective surgery waiting lists and patients removed from waiting lists (for admission or another reason).

The NESWTDC provides episode-level data on patients added to or removed from elective surgery waiting lists managed by public hospitals. This includes private patients treated in public hospitals, and may include public patients treated in private hospitals. ‘Public hospitals’ may include hospitals that are set up to provide services for public patients (as public hospitals do), but are managed privately. Removals are counted for patients who have been removed for admission or for another reason.

Also reported are data provided by states and territories for admissions from waiting lists that had an adverse event or unplanned readmission within 28 days of separation. These data are not defined under the ESWT NMDS.

https://www.aihw.gov.au/about-our-data/our-data-collections/national-hospitals