Hospitals rewarded for efficient practices

CORK University Hospital and Kerry General Hospital have been rewarded for good levels of efficiency — by more than €2 million.

Kerry General Hospital is receiving €1.1m while CUH is to receive almost €1m. South Infirmary Victoria Hospital in Cork also received a reward of just over €1m, while Mallow General Hospital will receive almost €370,000.

The rewards are being given as part of a penalty and reward system run by the HSE to incentivise hospitals to gain efficiencies.

The biggest winner from was Mullingar Hospital, which is to receive €2.1m, followed by University College Hospital Galway and St Luke’s Hospital in Kilkenny, which will receive €1.9m.

Welcoming the reward of €1.1m, general manager of Kerry General, PJ Hartnett, said the money would be reinvested in equipment and services for patients. “I want to congratulate all staff in the hospital for their role in helping Kerry General achieve this positive casemix adjustment for 2010. We are very pleased at this further recognition of the wide range of services being delivered effectively and efficiently in our hospital.”

The system, known as the National Casemix Programme, has been in operation since 1993 and aims to measure the running of a hospital against its peers.

There are 39 hospitals in the programme, which get more than €5 billion of health spending and cover 5.3 million patient episodes across all treatment areas.

A total of 20 hospitals were fined almost €18m for failing the test. Worst hit is Tallaght Hospital in Dublin which will lose over €2.5m from its budget, followed by Our Lady of Lourdes in Drogheda which will lose €2.2m. Other hospitals heavily fined include Tullamore (€1.8m) and Limerick Regional (€1.8m).