Major improvements in heart attack and stroke outcomes over the last decade have been revealed in a new report, states Irish Medical News.
The 2023 report of the National Healthcare Quality Reporting System found that there has been a 23 per cent decrease in in-hospital deaths within 30 days of admission for heart attacks.
The publication also found a 38 per cent decrease in in-hospital deaths within 30 days of admission from ischaemic stroke over this period.
The report, which provides an overview of quality in our health service since 2013 and against international standards, highlighted how uptake of cervical cancer screening has climbed from 65 per cent in 2011 to 73 per cent, but still remains below the 80 per cent target.
Ireland ranked second highest among 36 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries for flu vaccination uptake for older people in the 2021/2022 flu season.
In 2022, 89 per cent of hip fracture surgeries for people aged 65 years and older were performed within two days of admission – an increase of nine per cent compared to 2013.
“The data shows the significant progress on various health outcomes including lower in-hospital mortality rates for stroke and heart attack, more timely hip fracture surgery for older people and decreases in hospitalisations for chronic conditions,” said Health Minister Stephen Donnelly.
“Looking to how we fare internationally, Ireland compares favourably across a number of areas, in particular uptake for flu vaccination among people aged 65 years and older and uptake for breast and cervical cancer screening.”
More than four-in-five patients (82 per cent) who spent at least one night in hospital in May 2022 indicated they had a positive overall experience.
The Minister added: “By listening to the voices of people using our health and social care services we can identify areas for improvement focused on what matters to them.”
This is the eighth and final report in the National Healthcare Quality Reporting System series. Ireland’s Health System Performance Assessment platform, which was released in 2023, provides an overall view on the performance across Ireland’s health service to act as a stimulus for quality improvement. The report can be read here.
