Table 1.

Hospital waiting list categories

Category	Description	Recommended admission time
1	Patient has a condition that has potential to deteriorate rapidly to the point it may become an emergency	Within 30 days
2	Patient has a condition that is causing some pain, dysfunction or disability, but is unlikely to deteriorate quickly or become an emergency	Within 90 days
3	Patient has a condition that is causing minimal or no pain, dysfunction or disability, which is also unlikely to deteriorate quickly or has no potential to become an emergency	Within 365 days