Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of the health quality and safety indicator set?

The indicator set measures and monitors the status of quality and safety of health and disability support services in New Zealand.

What has changed since the last update in December 2013?

Some of the indicators have been updated, and new data provided where these are available.

The Health Quality & Safety Commission’s Prezi http://prezi.com/dbzsrwws2s45/health-quality-and-safety-indicators-june-2014/ has been amended to reflect these updates. Where a green title is given, both the ‘lead’ indicator and other measures are available together with commentary. Where the title is in orange, the lead indicator is either not yet available or defined, but some data is made available.

International comparisons can now be made for some measures – these are indicated by the globe symbol in the Prezi.

Where can I find further detail on the indicators?

Detailed definitions and calculations for each indicator and measure are available on the Health Quality Measures New Zealand website.

Patient experience indicators

The Commission has designed a new 20 item survey to fill the gap which will run quarterly from August 2014 in all DHBs. The survey covers four key domains of experience: communications, partnership, coordination, and physical and emotional needs.

The programme is led by the Commission and jointly managed with the Ministry of Health, with input from the sector and consumers.

Further information is available on the Health Quality & Safety Indicators page.

How often is the data published/ updated?

Bi-annually, in June and December each year.

How do the indicators relate to other areas of the Commission’s work?

Measurement and evaluation are critical parts of the Commission’s work, underpinning and forming the basis of four key, connecting work programmes as outlined below.

• Atlas of Healthcare Variation – The Atlas concentrates on individual conditions and clinical groups, highlighting variation in order to stimulate discussion about differences in practice and the improvement actions required to reduce variation where it is unwarranted.

• Quality and Safety Markers – These markers are a mix of process and outcome measures focused on driving improvement for four key safety priorities: falls, healthcare associated infections, surgical harm and medication safety. The markers do this through setting expected levels of improvement, public reporting of progress against these thresholds and supporting links to accountability mechanisms.

• Quality Accounts – Quality Accounts require health care providers to give an account for the quality of their services in a similar way to financial accounts. Quality Accounts are being adopted in New Zealand; while responsibility for their delivery sits with health care providers, the Commission is providing support and guidance about content and style.

How does the indicator set relate to the quality & safety markers?

The markers are a set of process and outcome measures that are designed to track and incentivise progress in four critical areas of safety and quality. These are reducing harm from:

• falls
• healthcare associated infections
• surgery
• medication.

These markers are included in the indicator set.

What is the difference between a system-level indicator and a contributory measure?

System-level indicators are summary or headline indicators that together provide a balanced picture of the status of the quality and safety of health and disability support services in New Zealand.

Contributory measures focus on the delivery of health care services reporting on outcomes for defined patient populations, specific quality activities or services delivered.

Is this indicator set final?

No. The proposed set of indicators is a starting point for further refinement and development. During stakeholder engagement, the Commission received broad support for the overall framework and direction for the indicators, and feedback on how the process could be developed and improved. We are committed to continuing to work with stakeholders and sector experts on the development of the indicator framework and set.

What is Health Quality Measures New Zealand?

The development of the indicators has been closely linked with the Patients First-led project on implementing the Health Quality Measures New Zealand library infrastructure. Health Quality Measures New Zealand is the home for the national set of health quality and safety indicators along with other measures already represented in the library and additional content yet to be collected.

How can I provide feedback or contribute ideas for indicators or measures to add to future sets?

If your feedback relates to an existing indicator or measure, please visit the Health Quality Measures New Zealand website and provide comments on the relevant indicator or measure. If you would like to provide ideas on new indicators or measures to potentially include in future sets, please email us.

Are indicators reported nationally or by DHB?

At this stage the focus is on providing a national picture of the quality of health and disability services, through identifying any changes over time and providing international comparators where appropriate/possible. This is intended to get the sector debating about and exploring drivers behind patterns in the different indicators at a local level.

The Commission is open to discussion around the possibility of having different levels of reporting and this will be considered in the next stage of work.