Infrastructure upgrades at Northam Hospital appear to be having a positive impact, with government reports showing wait times are generally improving - despite an increase in patients presenting at the facility.
The WA Department of Health collects data each month from 24 hospitals across the state, with 14, including Northam, falling under the WA Country Health Service (WACHS).
All hospitals adhere to the four-hour rule, which was introduced in 2009, where medical staff look to treat emergency department patients within this time period.
Of the 14 WACHS hospitals, Northam has been among the top performing in relation to seeing ED patients within four hours in reports from January to June 2019.
The best performance came in April, with 89.7 per cent of patients seen in the desired timeframe.
The data shows during every month from January to June, more people attended the Northam emergency department than in the corresponding month in 2018.
This generally was about 1000 presentations, with the biggest increase in May, with a 25.7 per cent jump from 1023 to 1286 people, compared to 12 months prior.
Despite the increase in presentations, Northam Hospital's ability to hit the four-hour rule improved in three of the six months in question compared to the equivalent month in 2018.
A WACHS spokeswoman said the expenditure on infrastructure enhancements such as the emergency department was having a positive effect.
"We're seeing firsthand the impact of our $42 million refurbishment of Northam Health Service that included opening a new emergency department," she said.
"Opening its doors in February of this year, the new emergency department features two resuscitation bays, 10 assessment bays as well as a treatment room - facilitating better patient flow as reflected in our Western Australian Emergency Access Targets.
"Management at the facility are also proactive in reviewing staffing resources to ensure appropriate coverage for peak activity times."
West Australian acting health minister Ben Wyatt said he was pleased the state government funding was making a difference in Northam.
"The new emergency department at Northam Hospital opened in February and means more local residents can access vital healthcare services close to where they live, their families and loved ones," he said.
"The recent reduction in wait times at Northam ED is evidence that the $42 million refurbishment is having a positive impact and reinforces the McGowan government commitment to healthcare in the regions and putting patients first.
"Performance like this cannot be attributed just to bricks and mortar. I'd like to thank all the hard working staff at Northam Hospital for their efforts servicing the healthcare needs of the local residents."