Waiting Lists Not All Bad But Could Do Better

Public Hospital Waiting Lists Not All Bad But Could Do Better: Acnielsen

January 31, 2007, Auckland: For all the reports in the media about public hospital waiting lists, the situation may not be so bad after all, but further action is definitely needed to improve the system, ACNielsen, a unit of The Nielsen Company, revealed.

The Ministry of Health’s booking system for elective surgery has been formally in place since 1999 with three definitive aims: greater timeliness, fairness and transparency.

“In our online survey of 1,000 respondents, we found timeliness to be one area that has had significant success, with only seven percent of Kiwis currently on a waiting list for elective surgery,” commented Mr Alistair Watts, managing director, ACNielsen Pacific & Japan.

Eight percent are on one or more of the following waiting lists: one percent on a list for first specialist assessment (FSA); five percent on a list of those waiting to have a procedure completed; and two percent on an active review list.

The survey also found that of the 92 percent not currently on a waiting list, 19 percent had been on a waiting list at some stage in the past. Two in three (66%) who are or have ever been on a waiting list have been formally assessed for a publicly funded treatment.

Moreover, the majority of people waiting for a first assessment or procedure have been on the list for two months or less, and over three quarters (76%) that have been on a waiting list have received treatment, while 12 percent have been declined treatment.

The government’s other aims of fairness and transparency have not been so successful, it seems, according to feedback from respondents.

“There seems to be a lack of transparency in some cases, with many not understanding why treatment was declined”, continued Mr Watts. “And with regards to fairness, there is an indication, although based on a small sample, that there are quite a few people who don’t believe the decision was fair and reasonable”.

Commenting on the survey, Mr Philip Gandar, from Synergia, a health systems consultancy involved in the original development of the booking system said, “ACNielsen’s survey has provided some enlightening information that will definitely provide necessary feedback to the Ministry of Health and health sector as a whole. It points to areas that need further development, such as how health services deal with the hard decisions about who gets to be treated and how they communicate to patients to keep things clear and simple for everyone currently on, or possibly going onto, waiting lists. Fairness and transparency are critical for those who are not able to access treatment”.

About ACNielsen
ACNielsen, a unit of The Nielsen Company, is the world's leading marketing information provider. Offering services in more than 100 countries, the unit provides measurement and analysis of marketplace dynamics and consumer attitudes and behavior. Clients rely on ACNielsen's market research, proprietary products, analytical tools and professional service to understand competitive performance, to uncover new opportunities and to raise the profitability of their marketing and sales campaigns.
About The Nielsen Company

The Nielsen Company is a global information and media company with leading market positions and recognised brands in marketing information (ACNielsen), media information (Nielsen Media Research), business publications (Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, Adweek) and trade shows. The privately held company has more than 42,000 employees and is active in more than 100 countries, with headquarters in Haarlem, the Netherlands, and New York, USA.

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