Cardiology Services
MidCentral DHB commissioned an assessment of cardiology service provision and related health outcomes across the MidCentral district. This was in response to significant concerns in respect of MidCentral Health cardiology services including workforce, facilities and service access issues.
As well as defining the ‘cardiology landscape’ the project sought to assess the steps required to better meet the needs of the population and in particular the capability and capacity of the cardiology department at MDHB to meet these needs.
About 50 stakeholders across the district were interviewed during the project and many others provided information, most notably other DHBs and the Ministry of Health. Examination of data and analysis was a significant part of the project.
The landscape project identified that the issues for cardiology services are significant and lie right across the service. Previous health needs assessments identified that cardiovascular mortality had improved and that the gap with national was closing. This project found that the picture is different for ischaemic heart disease which is commonly used as an indicator of community cardiac health status.
Key finding - Ischaemic heart disease mortality
Ischaemic heart disease mortality has improved but at a rate slower than New Zealand. A comparison of two periods a decade apart1 showed a 23% decline in mortality for the MidCentral population compared to a 31% decline for New Zealand. At the beginning of the period, the rate for MidCentral was the same as New Zealand overall.
The Report
A review of cardiology services “The Cardiology Landscape” report presented to the board’s two committees made a number of recommendations, which will see considerably more investment made in cardiology services over the next few years.
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Last Updated 29/08/2011