title: Variation in the adoption of patient safety practices among New Zealand district health boards.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the adoption and impact of quality improvement measures in New Zealand hospitals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Structured interviews with quality and safety managers of District Health Boards (DHBs). Correlation of use of measures with adjusted 30-day mortality data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighteen of New Zealand's 21 DHBs participated in the survey. Structural or policy measures to improve patient safety, such as credentialing and event reporting procedures, had been introduced into all DHBs, whereas changes to general clinical processes such as medicine reconciliation, falls prevention interventions and disease-specific management guidelines were less consistently used. There was no meaningful correlation between risk-adjusted mortality rates for three common medical conditions and related quality measures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Widespread variation exists among New Zealand DHBs in their adoption of quality and safety practices, especially in relation to clinical processes of care.
authors.affiliation: Health Services Research Centre, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand. raymonts@vodafone.co.nz
authors.forename: Antony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raymont
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.forename: Philip N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Hider
authors.forename: Mary P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Finlayson
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fraser
authors.forename: Jacqueline M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Cumming
mesh_terms: D006075:Governing Board / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006739:Hospital Administration / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009520:New Zealand; D061214:Patient Safety / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data