MIL OSI – Source: Waikato District Health Board – Press Release/Statement
Headline: Annual Report looks back on performance and forward to new technology
Chief executive Nigel Murray highlighted the greater use of smart technology in healthcare in his foreword to the Waikato District Health Boards latest annual report, now posted on its website in e-book and PDF formats.
“Technology is giving us new ways of bringing healthcare to people, and people to healthcare,” he said. “This is important for service delivery particularly to those people who live the rural communities of our district.
“With the prevalence of smart devices in everyday life, it only makes sense that we use this technology in a way to deliver healthcare interactions as well.”
Virtual health care and telehealth technology can add direct value to patient experience in terms of less travelling, reducing waiting times and further improvements to patient care.
Board chair Bob Simcock welcomed the energy and leadership Dr Murray has provided since his appointment in July 2014, and the energy and focus displayed by the executive group, many of whom are new appointments or in new roles.
“The 2014/15 year was a year of significant achievement for Waikato DHB. This achievement depends on the willingly given, highly skilled contributions of thousands of individual people who work for and with this organisation,” he said.
The 160-plus page annual report sets out the DHB’s performance story for the year in terms of national, regional and local activities and a set performance measures.
Read the report here
Some facts and figures from the report
For the 2014/15 year, the DHB receive approximately $1.232 billion in funding from Government and Crown agencies for health and disability services for the Waikato population.
About 69 per cent of this was used to directly provide hospital or health services.
The remaining 31 per cent was used to fund contracted services provided by non-government organisations (NGO), primary health care organisations (PHOs), Maori providers, Pacific providers, aged residential care, other DHBs, and pharmacies and laboratories.
As at 30 June 2015 Waikato DHB employed 6566 people (5480 full time equivalents). 53 per cent were NZ European, 34 per cent International, 9 per cent Maori, 1 per cent Pacific Islander, and 3 per cent not identified.
The average age of DHB employees is 45.6 years.
A total of 716 employees (up from 674 in 2014) received remuneration of more than $100,000 per year. Of those, 85.47 per cent are or were clinical employees.
Waikato DHB’s performance against national targets can be found on p22 of the annual report.
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