However, it falls behind in the  target for discharging non-urgent patients within four hours.

The National Health Performance Authority study looked at how long it took for  patients to be seen, treated and discharged from emergency departments.

It used data from 134 hospitals and 5.9 million patient presentations in 2011-12. Only a minority  hit the unofficial  target of treating and discharging 90 per cent of patients within the required four hours — a figure that all states and territories have agreed should be achieved by 2015.

Warrnambool Base Hospital achieved a 69 per cent performance, which was higher than Shepparton and Latrobe Regional hospitals, but lower than Ballarat’s 76 per cent and Bendigo’s 70 per cent.

The Warrnambool emergency department transferred 90 per cent of admitted patients to a ward in nine hours 19 minutes compared with Latrobe’s 16:32, Shepparton’s 12:32 and Ballarat’s 11:16.

Best performance in Victoria was Williamstown’s 7:28 and the worst was Frankston’s 21:17.

Of the major metropolitan hospitals the Austin discharged only 54 per cent within four hours and its 90 per cent figure was 11:37, Royal Melbourne achieved 52 per cent and 12:23 and Geelong 56 per cent and 10:35.

The Royal Women’s scored an impressive 86 per cent and 5:16 while the Royal Children’s scored 70 per cent and 11:37.

Federal Health Minister Tanya Plibersek said some states and territories need to take a closer look at under-performing hospitals. 

“I think it’s fair to say some states have improved a great deal more than others and those states that need to lift their game have had a wake-up call,” she said.