HBDHB makes big gains in health targets

20 May 2010

HBDHB makes big gains in health targets
Work on improving wait times in Hawke’s Bay Hospital’s Emergency Department, helping smokers quit and elective surgery wait times has seen the DHB work its way up the health target ladder.

These improved service performance results have come at the same time as the DHB has also bettered its financial performance and exceeded its financial target for the year to date.

Third quarter results of the governments health targets, released yesterday, showed an improvement in most of the targets except in increasing immunisation for two year olds where the DHB achieved 90 percent, down from 91 percent, but well above the 85 percent target.

This quarter the DHB had climbed to 89 percent of the ED target up from 78 percent the previous quarter – of patients assessed, treated and admitted or discharged within six hours.

The Shorter Stays in Emergency Departments target is six hours for 95 percent of patients.

Chief executive Kevin Snee said while the result showed an upward trend but there was still work to be done to hit the 95 percent target.

“Staff should be pleased and proud of the work they have done to improve efficiencies throughout the hospital.

“It’s a steady improvement and means a much better outcome for patients in Hawke’s Bay who need emergency treatment,” Dr Snee said.

Helping smokers help to quit has also shown a steady improvement up from 32 percent last quarter to 57 percent.

The target of providing better help for hospitalised smokers to quit is 80 percent.

“This is going to be a key area of focus for the DHB -while we may not see the direct benefits of smokers quitting yet - the long term gains of helping smokers will benefit the whole community in the long run,” he said.

Improved access to Elective Surgery has also improved up from 85 percent to 96 percent and just short of the 100 percent target.

Dr Snee said the health targets were a key focus of the DHB – however they weren’t the pinnacle – and each target should be seen as the starting point not the ultimate goal.

ENDS

Health_Targets_Quarter_Three_Results_200910_colour_print.pdf

© Scoop Media