Hon Tony Ryall

Minister of Health

7 October 2013       Media Statement       

Tairawhiti DHB benefits from the savings power of 20 DHBs

District health boards around New Zealand are saving millions of dollars by working together to reduce back office costs, with all the savings reinvested back into frontline health services for their communities.

Health Minister Tony Ryall will visit Gisborne Hospital today. Their local Tairawhiti DHB has saved $1.8 million in back office costs over the past three years and the savings are being reinvested back into frontline health services.

“By saving on petrol through bulk purchasing across the DHBs, linking into ‘all of government’ contracts, and lower banking costs from sharing banking systems, one of our smallest district health boards is able to harness the power of bulk purchasing and get the most out of every health dollar,” says Mr Ryall.

Mr Ryall will also visit Gisborne Hospital’s emergency department to see for himself how they have made a number of changes to deliver faster, more convenient frontline care for patients. 

“The new mobile x-ray units are speeding up treatment for ED patients, allowing them to have an x-ray in the department, with the files sent digitally to Radiology.

“Another new technology, ‘Care Insight’, is enabling these ED clinicians to request accurate, up to date records of a patient’s current condition from general practitioners’ systems, with the patient’s permission.

“For instance I’m advised a woman brought her mother into the ED, but forgot to bring her medication. Instead of her having to drive home to get them, clinicians were able to see a summary of her mother’s meds on ‘Care Insight’, and treat her accordingly.

“The technology has the ability to request a dispensing record from local pharmacies, and it allows GPs to see which of their patients have been to ED.”

Mr Ryall will also visit Three Rivers Health Centre and a pharmacy that are linked in to Care Insight.

“These are more good examples of how patient care can be improved when DHBs work together,” Mr Ryall says.

ENDS

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