Taranaki District Health Board
Private Bag 2016
New Plymouth 4620
New Zealand
Telephone 06 753 6139
Fax: 06 753 7770
Email
: [Taranaki District Health Board request email]
www.tdhb.org.nz
Taranaki Base Hospital
Private Bag 2016
New Plymouth 4620
New Zealand
Phone: 06 753 6139
Fax: 06 753 7710
Hāwera Hospital
11 April 2022
Post Office Box 98
Hāwera
New Zealand
Phone: 06 278-9929
Fax: 06 278 9910
Stratford Health Centre Phone: 06 765 7189
Paul Blackham
Opunake Medical Centre
Via email:
[email address]
(CoastalCare)
Phone: 06 761 7324
Pātea Health Centre
Phone: 06 273 8088
Waitara Health Centre
Phone: 06 754 7150
Dear Mr Blackham
Mōkau Health Centre
Phone: 06 752 9723
Re:
Official Information Act
I am responding on behalf of Taranaki District Health Board (DHB) to your OIA request of 26 January 2022.
Thank you for clarifying your request on 16 March 2022. You have requested the following information:
The number of people that have visited any/all hospitals and doctor’s surgeries within the TDHB for an/all heart
related issues, (including but not limited to pericarditis, myocarditis, heart attacks and strokes). The data
requested is for the 11-month period from February 2021 until December 2021 inclusive, displayed in month by
month format, and compared to the monthly data for the previous three years.
There were 5,514 presentations that were recorded with reasons for referral that were of cardiac nature for
the period February to December 2021. This is only a relative indication and does not represent the clinical
diagnosis at the end of treatment. Please note that Taranaki DHB is in the process of implementing the SNOMED
diagnosis coding for ED events as per the Ministry of Health directive – this will provide accurate representation
on cohort of illnesses that are treated in our emergency departments.
In comparison to the previous years, the end Q2 in 2021 saw a steady increase in visits as SNOMED presenting
diagnosis codes were implemented, which resulted in a consistent capture of referral and diagnosis data. Table
1 (in the Appendix) shows the month by month (February to December) breakdown for the three-year period
2019, 2020 and 2021.
I trust the above information answers your OIA request.
Kind regards
Katy Sheffield
Chief Operating Officer (acting)
Enc.
Appendix
Table 1 – Count of ED Visits
Years
Months
Grand Total
2019
2020
2021
Feb
236
244
280
760
Mar
269
244
295
808
Apr
255
200
274
729
May
289
234
303
826
Jun
297
288
445
1030
Jul
340
308
554
1202
Aug
335
297
587
1219
Sep
277
270
672
1219
Oct
325
284
706
1315
Nov
278
276
705
1259
Dec
284
293
693
1270
Grand Total
3,185 2,938 5,514
11,637