BOPDHB Annual Report 2013 BOPDHB Annual Report 2013 | Page 7

CEO’s Year in Review As I sit to write this review, I am reminded of how dynamic and diverse this organisation is. We have continued to operate within our available funding, by encouraging staff to look at new and different ways of delivering services, whilst keeping the patient firmly at the centre. Once again we have delivered health and disability services, both in the community and in our hospitals within budget. Given the significant financial pressures, this is a noteworthy achievement and only made possible through the collective efforts of all staff. At the same time we have maintained a quality focus on the patient and our community. The quality focus can be broadly defined by the Triple Aim of: • • • Improving the quality, safety and experience of care. Improving health and equity for all populations. Achieving the best value for public health resources. During the year, the Chair and I signed the national Quality Pledge confirming our commitment to patient safety as part of a national campaign titled “Open for Better Care” was launched by the Health Quality and Safety Commission. Improving the quality, safety and experience of care The healthcare achievements in 2012/13 have included improving our standing in the Government’s Health Targets: performing well in heart and diabetes checks, improving our immunisation rates, surpassing our planned elective surgery volumes, providing smokers with more opportunities to quit, and delivering shorter waits for cancer treatment. I was really pleased to receive notification that our immunisation rate has improved significantly to where 86% of our eight month old babies have now had their primary course of immunisations. 8,989 elective surgery discharges were completed; 632 more than last year, and 107% of target. All of our cancer patients received their radiotherapy and chemotherapy within four weeks, and 72% of our people have had their heart and diabetes checks. The DHB is involved with the Ministries of Health and Business, Innovation and Employment in a project to improve healthcare service provision in geographically isolated and/or distant locations using video and telehealth technology. While in its early stages, this innovative initiative is already stimulating significant interest within certain areas of our communities. The Bay of Plenty Clinical School’s second Clinical Research Awards were held in October 2012. Seventeen applications were received from a variety of DHB services and external contracting organisations. The seven finalists selected were from: Cardiology, Mental Health and Addiction Services, Clinical School, Endocrinology, Psychiatry, Paediatrics and Dermatology. The winner of the 2012 award was Neal Singleton, Orthopaedic Registrar. Neal’s research explored the optimal management of distal radius (wrist) fractures in elderly patients. Dermatologist Ben Tallon was runner-up. Ben’s study analysed the rate of recurrence of 1,035 moles over five years to determine whether re-excision is necessary to prevent recurrence or progression of melanoma. A state-of-the-art $32 million radiotherapy facility is under construction on the Tauranga Hospital campus, adjacent to the current cancer centre. This development means that our cancer patients who require radiation treatment will get their cancer treatment closer to home, while still benefiting from being part of the wider Midland cancer network. The facility is being developed by the Bay of Plenty DHB in partnership with Bay Radiotherapy Services, and will allow us to offer a more complete cancer service to the people of our region. Project WAKA, the rebuild of the Whakatane Hospital, is on budget and on schedule. We have held a number of events including a tour of the new building for local government mayors, councillors, chief executives, the Board, Kaumatua Council, and those organisations whom we work closely with, like the police and St John staff. 3