The region has been struggling with long waiting lists caused by a lack of urologists — there are still just two at Dunedin Hospital.
Figures requested by the Otago Daily Times showed the number of people waiting for a first specialist assessment earlier this month was 306, down from 581 in July.
Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand (HNZ) Southern group director of operations Hamish Brown said the hospital’s urology department held a weekend clinic on September 16-17 for a number of priority patients to help address the wait time.
A total of 335 patients were seen during the clinic.
"Six additional locum urologists from around New Zealand assisted the Dunedin urology team and one of our Southland Hospital colleagues."
While the hospital previously employed four urologists, resignations left it with two, a situation which had not changed, Mr Brown said.
The hospital has turned to urology mega-clinics when faced with high waiting lists in the past.
In 2019, a damning health and disability commissioner report found managers at the Southern District Health Board — now HNZ Southern — were, for about three years, aware of issues with its urology service causing long delays in treatment.
While scathing about the historical deficiencies in the service, the report praised the board for its eventual response to the situation, including the mega-clinic weekends using out-of-town doctors.
In late 2019, a new hire brought the total number of urologists based at Dunedin Hospital to four.
HNZ Southern figures showed that of those waiting for a first specialist assessment earlier this month, 239 were waiting for a consultation, 37 for a cystoscopy and 30 for a biopsy.
In July, patients on the first specialist assessment waiting list included 427 waiting for a consultation, 90 for a cystoscopy and 64 for a biopsy.
The median wait times for consultations had fallen compared with July, at 105 days down from 125 days.
Cystoscopies required a median 51 days of waiting, down from 79 days.
However, patients were waiting longer to have a biopsy — 48 days up from 42.
The number of Southern patients needing a follow-up appointment was also fewer than in July, when 402 people were waiting.
A total of 340 patients were waiting earlier this month.
Asked if more clinics were planned, Mr Brown said it was likely another would be held in the first half of next year to help address the waiting list for follow-up appointments.
