Health Report: Relative Level of Access to Cardiac Services
Date of publication: December 2003
The Ministry has undertaken an analysis of the relative level of access to coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) operations and angioplasty procedures for the populations served by each of the five cardiac units in New Zealand. This was in response to the issue of whether the relative level of access to CABG operations and angioplasty procedures may be more limited for patients living in Otago and Southland than elsewhere in the country.
Significantly more of these operations and procedures are publicly funded in the region serviced by the Dunedin cardiac unit relative to other regions. This, in conjunction with broadly similar prioritisation and treatment decision processes, suggests that the level of access to publicly funded cardiac services for the population serviced by the Dunedin cardiac unit is not less than the level of access to publicly funded services in other regions.
While each of the five cardiac surgery centres is progressing well with aspects of elective services policies, ongoing quality improvements are required before there is full consistency across regions in prioritisation criteria (and their application), and delivery of treatment according to assessed priority. Specifically reported treatment thresholds are not a good indicator of access at this time. This situation will improve.
Research on the validity of CABG prioritisation is being funded through the Health Research Council to assist with ongoing improvements in prioritisation of access to CABG surgery. The successful Auckland pilot upon which this research is based is being extended to all cardiac surgery centres as a means of standardising and improving assessment and treatment throughout New Zealand.
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