The figures are contained in the first annual report of the National Healthcare Quality Reporting System, which measures the performance of the health service across a number of indicators. File photograph: Reuters
A number of hospitals have significantly higher death rates due to heart
attacks and strokes than the national average, according to a new report from
the Department of Health.
The rate at which patients die in hospital from heart attacks
(acute myocardial infarction) has dropped 40 per cent in a decade and the Irish
mortality rate is well below the OECD average.
The Mater Hospital in
Dublin, Midland Regional Hospital in
Portlaoise and Kerry General Hospital recorded
the lowest death rates within 30 days of admission for a heart attack.
The figures are contained in the first
annual report of the National Healthcare Quality Reporting System, which measures the performance of the health
service across a number of indicators.
The report says differences may arise for many reasons, and not just
because of the quality of care provided. It says the indicators measured act
like smoke alarms by attracting attention and enabling people to determine
whether the problem is caused by smoke (lesser urgency) or fire (priority for
action).
The report also says some areas of the health service are performing
well. Immunisation rates have improved, death rates from heart attacks have
fallen, survival rates from cancer are improving and the incidence of hospital
acquired infections has dropped sharply.
Areas where there is room for improvement are also identified. These
include cervical cancer survival rates and falling uptake of breast cancer
screening.
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