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Elective Surgery Information System - Overview

Background Information

The computerised Elective Surgery Information System (ESIS) was introduced in 1997 to provide patient level waiting list information.  Prior to the introduction of ESIS, aggregate waiting list data was collected using a paper based system.

Accurate, timely waiting list data are an important requirement for monitoring community access to Health Services and improved management and planning of elective surgery, both within individual hospitals and state-wide.  Data provided to the Department by hospitals is regularly reported to the Government and public.  In addition, the provision of accurate and timely waiting list data is required for hospitals to be eligible for quality bonus funding.

Management of the Elective Surgery Information System

The ESIS is managed by the Funding, Health & Information Policy Branch in the Metropolitan Health and Aged Care Services Division of the Victorian Department of Human Services.

Data Release

For information regarding the release of ESIS data refer to Victorian Hospital Data Reports.

ESIS Update Cycle

Towards the end of each calendar year, the Health Data Standards and Systems Unit calls for submissions for revisions to the ESIS with effect from the following 1 July. Revisions may be necessary, for example, to provide data for a change in funding mechanism or to monitor a new policy. Revisions may also be necessary to follow changes to the National Health Data Dictionary. Opportunities are also taken wherever possible to simplify and streamline the dataset. At all times, HDSS attempts to keep changes to a minimum.
The proposals are outlined in a Proposals for Revisions to the Elective Surgery Information System document, which is circulated to hospitals, software suppliers and others. All parties are invited to submit comments and questions on the proposals.  A Specification for Revisions document is then prepared, providing full details of the changes.  This is usually distributed early in the new calendar year.
Hospitals should then request that their software suppliers revise software in accordance with the Specification for Revision document ready to use from 1 July.

Data Transmission Timeline

Hospital must transmit data to the ESIS according to the Victoria-Public Hospitals and Mental Health Services, Policy and Funding Guidelines, General Conditions of Funding for the current year.

ESIS Technical Reference Group

The ESIS Technical Reference Group was first convened in September 1998. Membership comprises representatives from metropolitan and rural hospitals, and the Department of Human Services.
The role of the group is to oversee the ongoing development and maintenance of Elective Surgery Information Systems, particularly as they relate to the provision of data to the Department of Human Services.
The range of issues the group deals with includes:

• Specification of the data items which constitute the ESIS Minimum Dataset,
• Business rules for data editing,
• Data submission including reconciliation reports,
• Data quality issues,
• Standard and ad-hoc reporting requirements,
• Linkage with, and relationship to, other data sets,
• Provision of data to users outside the Department of Human Services.