Wait times best ever for Whakatane Hospital

Whakatane Hospital. Photo/File

Whakatane and Tauranga Hospital has returned their best ever shorter stays in emergency departments result.

Over 96 per cent of patients across both hospitals were seen within the Ministry of Health's target waiting time during the October to December 2016 quarter.

The target was 95 per cent of patients would be admitted, discharged, or transferred from an emergency department within six hours. The measure indicated how efficiently acute patients flowed through the hospital.

The result was achieved despite ever-increasing numbers attending the two emergency departments, Bay of Plenty District Health Board chief executive Helen Mason said.

"It was a great start to 2017 to see that we achieved the six-hour target, and 96 per cent of our patients were admitted, discharged, or transferred from Tauranga and Whakatane EDs within six hours," she said.

"This is our best ever result and is testament to great co-operation and co-ordination across our two hospitals, to meet the needs of our acute care patients.

"This result has been achieved during a time when acute care pressure was high with record numbers of people presenting. There were often more than 200 people presenting daily at our two EDs."

Over the last 10 years, there had been a 40 per cent increase in the number of patients presenting to both emergency departments. In December 2006, 4787 patients were seen, compared with 6683 in December 2016.

Record numbers came to Tauranga Hospital's emergency department in the week leading up to Christmas last year, and this pattern continued into the first days of 2017. On New Year's Day, 208 people presented and the following day, the highest ever number of people seen at Tauranga ED was recorded with 221 people coming through its doors.

Hospital emergency departments assess and treat patients who have serious injuries or illnesses.

Visitors to the Western Bay, or those who are not registered with a GP, can call 0800 367 432584 (0800 forhealth). Visitors to the Eastern Bay, or those who are not registered with a GP, should call 07 306 2360.