SA ambulance ramping approached record levels in the latest figures.

Ambulance ramping at South Australian public hospitals surged to the second-highest number of hours recorded, escalating concerns over the state's healthcare capacity. 

A concerning spike was observed in March, with the Royal Adelaide Hospital experiencing its most challenging period of ramping to date. 

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Flinders Medical Centre also reported significant increases in ramping times, leaving patients forced to wait in ambulances outside emergency departments, sometimes for more than 30 minutes, due to lack of available beds within the hospital.

According to the South Australian government, patients spent 4,095 hours waiting on ramps in March, close to the record 4,285 hours noted in November of the previous year. 

The figure is largely attributed to a 17 per cent rise in Category 1 patients - those in most critical need of care - compared to the preceding month.

Health Minister Chris Picton has pointed to several factors exacerbating the situation, including an increase in long-stay patients within hospitals, particularly those with dementia awaiting transfer to aged care facilities. 

The Minister says resolving the ramping crisis is a highly complex matter, requiring a multifaceted approach rather than a quick fix. 

Compared to the same period last year, there are approximately 100 more long-stay patients in hospitals, Picton said, illustrating the growing demand on the healthcare system.

Opposition spokesperson Vincent Tarzia has called on the Labor government to intensify its efforts to mitigate ramping.

Some see hope in the introduction of a new program at the Lyell McEwin Hospital, which has successfully reduced ramping by 45 per cent over the past six months.

The new approach involves a team of doctors, nurses, and health professionals using artificial intelligence to identify patients eligible for weekend discharge, a strategy that has significantly improved patient flow and reduced discharge delays.

Picton says the government is committed to expanding healthcare infrastructure, with plans to open 150 new beds across hospitals this year and an additional 130 next year. 

He said this expansion would be like adding a new facility the size of the new Queen Elizabeth Hospital, substantially increasing the system's capacity to accommodate and treat patients more efficiently.