The Sustainable and Quality use of Diagnostics in Emergency Departments (SQuDs-ED) project launched in April 2025 with a two-day Sustainability in Quality Improvement (SusQI) workshop at the University of Melbourne.
Four months on, 11 health services are actively testing change ideas and implementing improvements across 19 emergency departments in regional Victorian and metropolitan Melbourne.
The collective efforts of SQuDs-ED participating health services have already:
- prevented more than 35,000 unnecessary tests
- saved more than $1 million dollars
- avoided over 13,000 kg CO2e, equivalent to driving more than 67,000km in an average Australian car.
These quality improvements are enhancing care for consumers while reducing healthcare’s environmental footprint, thanks to the leadership and commitment of:
- Albury Wodonga Health
- Alfred Health
- Austin Health
- Barwon Health
- Central Gippsland Health Service
- Eastern Health
- Echuca Regional Health
- Monash Health
- Peninsula Health
- the Royal Melbourne Hospital
- Western Health.
This work has meant thousands of consumers have avoided low value diagnostic tests and unnecessary cannulations. These tests can expose consumers to potential harm, contribute to over-diagnosis, and lead to further unwarranted interventions. Unnecessary imaging may also prolong time spent in emergency departments, affecting patient flow and experience.
With the health system contributing between 5–7% of Australia’s carbon footprint, the SQuDs-ED initiative is demonstrating how improving care can go hand-in-hand with reducing environmental impact and delivering financial savings.
The Value-Based Healthcare team extends sincere thanks to all participating health services. As we’ve visited sites across the state, we’ve seen firsthand the creativity, commitment, and passion of clinicians and improvement professionals driving this work. Your efforts are not only improving outcomes for consumers but also helping shape a more sustainable future for healthcare in Victoria.
