The ACC’s internal review of elective surgery has revealed on Tuesday that there is a need to work towards ensuring more effective and transparent decisions on surgery claims. The review has analyzed the impact of elective surgery process changes which were introduced in 2008 and also analyzed how decision making can be improved.

The review is a great response to issues raised by NZMA and other health groups. Their issues included as delays in providing decisions in response to applications for surgery, lack of consistency in decision making, and the large number of cases going to review.

NZMA Deputy Chair, Dr. Mark Peterson said “The NZMA has consistently advocated that patient care must not be compromised and that patients must have access to appropriate and timely care.” The NZMA is now hopping that ACC will now address these issues to ensure this is achieved.

It has come to light that the key findings of the review is that there is an underlying lack of confidence on the part of key external stakeholders in the robustness and fairness of ACC’s elective surgery decision-making for declined cases, however there was a willingness to work with ACC on solutions.