Question - ACT Health

1. Given that on 4 February, a question taken on notice asked "Minister, what steps have you taken to make available data on how many emergency room presentations arise from dental issues, given that the inquiry into annual and financial reports 2022-23 recommended that the ACT government report this data regularly?" and the response outlined this data was not available on the dashboard as "The Directorate has developed a draft methodology for identifying patients presenting to emergency departments with a dental related principal diagnosis", why is there a need for the Directorate to draft methodology, given that preventable hospitalisations for dental conditions are already reported to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).
2. Will this methodology be the same as the methodology used for data submitted to the AIHW; if not, what is the rationale for the new methodology, and how does it differ.
3. Given the response outlines that the Directorate needs to “Undertake an assessment of the power of the metric to identify dental presentations in light of the limitations of using administrative data to report on performance…”, when will the assessment be completed.
4. What are the current limitations of using administrative data to report on “potentially preventable dental admissions” and all other data metrics that are drawn from administrative data.
5. If the methodology will be the same as the methodology used for data submitted to the AIHW, why is there a need for this additional assessment.
6. Will any other relevant stakeholders be consulted in this process.

Please see attached PDF for a copy of the answer to question on notice No 314.