Each year about 200 seriously injured New Zealanders are taken to hospital only to be sent on to another after initial care.
A new policy now aims to instead send serious trauma cases to the most appropriate hospital more quickly.
Health Minister Jonathan Coleman said the "major trauma out of hospital destination policy" would start from Monday.
"Each year around 2000 people with major trauma are transferred to hospital for care. Of these, up to 200 cases a year go to a hospital which provides initial care before sending them on to another hospital.
"This policy will help reduce the number of patients needing to be transferred during their care by getting them to a hospital which can provide all of the services right at the beginning of their treatment."
Sending patients to the best hospital first would "result in better outcomes, less disability and an earlier return to work", ACC Minister Michael Woodhouse said.
The policy is part of the major trauma national clinical network programme that has run since 2012. ACC and the Ministry of Health have invested $742,000 over three years from 2015/16 to continue progressing the work.