Waikato hospitals close in on ED target

Waikato is the most improved DHB in the country for emergency department wait times, according to new figures released today.

The figures are from the latest Ministry of Health Targets performance for the quarter ended 31 December 2009.

The Ministry of Health’s ED target requires hospital emergency departments to assess and admit or discharge 95 per cent of patients within six hours.

Waikato DHB’s results, which includes emergency departments at Waikato and Thames hospitals, achieved 79 per cent, a 12 per cent improvement on the figures for the first quarter ended 30 September 2009.

Health Waikato chief operating officer Jan Adams said the achievement is a result of immense staff commitment and process improvements.

“I am very pleased with the progress to date. A lot of hard work has gone into it so it is pleasing to see that what we have done so far is working.

“But we are still well aware that we have a fair way to go and we remain committed to achieving the six-hour target by June.”

Ministry of Health ED target champion Dr Mike Ardagh said Waikato DHB’s performance significantly improved in quarter two.

“Although Waikato DHB is still some distance away from achieving the 95 per cent target, this improvement is encouraging and shows that the DHB is focusing effort in this target area.

“Continued implementation of Waikato DHB’s delivery plan for shorter stays in ED, led by the champions with strong support from across the DHB, should result in continued and sustained improvements in performance and achievement of the target by the end of 2010/11,” he said.

Individually, Thames Hospital achieved 91.79 per cent on 3435 attendances while Waikato achieved 75.02 per cent of its 13,536 patients admitted, treated or discharged within six hours.

Thames Hospital manger Jacquie Mitchell is also pleased with her emergency department’s result and is confident that they can meet the target.

“Staff worked very hard last quarter to achieve this result and they continue to do so.

“We have improvement process in place and we are all determined to reach this target for our community,” she said.

Thames ED achieved the 95 per cent target one day earlier this month; something Mrs Mitchell says will be a daily occurrence come June.

Mrs Adams said achieving the target for both departments requires a whole of hospital approach and sustainable process improvements.

“It’s not something we can put a plaster over and hope for the best.

“Emergency departments are a complex part of the hospital that involves clinicians from all areas and all these areas need to work together for us to achieve the target.

“Process changes are required but these need to be sustainable so that we can not only achieve the target by June but keep achieving it every day,” she said.

Emergency departments at Health Waikato’s other rural hospitals in Tokoroa (95.61 per cent with 2256 attendances), Taumarunui (99.02 per cent/1337 attendances) and Te Kuiti (96.38 per cent/556 attendances), were not included in the ministry figures.

Shorter stays in Emergency Departments health target:
The aim is that within six hours, 95 per cent of patients who go to hospital emergency departments receive treatment and either are admitted into a ward or are sent home. The length of time people spend in ED is an important measure of the quality of care in our hospitals because EDs should provide urgent healthcare; the timeliness of treatment delivery (and any time spent waiting) is important for patients.

ENDS

Contact:

Mary Anne Gill
Director
Media and Communications
Waikato District Health Board
Ph: 07 834 3684
Fax: 07 839 8680
Mobile: 021 705 213
www.waikatodhb.govt.nz