Originally published November 10 2005
New Zealand healthcare reports high error rate
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Though not as high as in the U.S., a survey by the Commonwealth Fund found that 25 percent of patients in the New Zealand healthcare system reported an error in the process of their treatment.
A report by the Commonwealth Fund, a charity that aims to improve healthcare in Commonwealth countries, showed more mistakes happened in the care of New Zealanders than were made in German or British health services, which were also surveyed.
The report said that, of New Zealand patients interviewed between March and June this year, a quarter "believed they experienced a medical mistake in treatment or care, were given the wrong medication or dose, were given incorrect test results or experienced delays in receiving abnormal test results".
The rate of error has remained the same since 2003, when an-other Commonwealth Fund study described it as "disturbing".
As part of the Commonwealth Fund study, which examined the issues of safety, healthcare co-ordination, chronic disease care and access to care, 7000 adults who had recently been hospitalised, had surgery or had health problems were interviewed in New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Canada, Britain and the United States.
The study showed New Zealand's error rate was better than in the US, where more than a third of patients complained of errors, or rates in Canada and Australia, which were above a quarter.
Most of the errors in the six countries surveyed happened outside hospitals.
Study author Cathy Schoen said none of the countries' health systems were markedly better or worse than the others, but New Zealanders had better access to doctors, with more than half reporting they could get an appointment the same day they called.
It also pointed out that patients' need for emergency treatment was lower as a result.
"Relative to the US and Canada, the four countries reporting comparatively rapid access to physicians -- Australia, Germany, New Zealand and Britain -- also had significantly lower rates of emergency room use."
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