Public hospitals that have struggled to reduce the length of time people spend in emergency departments say the situation is improving.
The emergency department at Wellington Hospital is the worst in the country for keeping patients waiting, with Waikato the second worst, according to the latest quarterly results on how DHBs are meeting government targets.
According to those targets, 95% of patients visiting an emergency department should be admitted to hospital, discharged or transferred within six hours.
Capital and Coast manages 74% and Waikato 84%, while West Coast and Nelson-Marlborough are above or close to the target.
Capital and Coast DHB says months of hard work mean it will reach the government target in June.
Waikato DHB says the work of senior clinicians and managers saw it exceed the target during a busy five-day period recently.
DHBs say doing better comes down to a team effort from the whole hospital.
