The national target was introduced in 2009 with the aim of reducing crowding in EDs, but the study by Auckland City Hospital director of emergency medicine Dr Peter Jones and University of Auckland researcher Linda Chalmers found there were about 700 fewer deaths between 2006 and 2012 than the number predicted by pre-target trends.
Dr Jones said there was no increase in deaths on the wards or other evidence the reduction was due to ``shifting deaths to elsewhere in the system''.
But there was evidence, yet to be fully analysed, of staff transferring patients to short-stay units so those patients would not count as breaches of the target.
``This occurred at many sites and seemed particularly evident where heavy pressure on clinical staff to meet the target was not matched by adequate resourcing.''
Health Minister Jonathan Coleman said the study showed the ED target had saved lives. Speaking at the opening of the annual Scientific Meeting of the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine in Queenstown yesterday, he said the research was the first comprehensive study of EDs across the country.
The latest quarterly data for 2016-17 showed 93% of people who presented to an ED were admitted, discharged or transferred within six hours, a 13% increase since 2009. That was despite rising demand for emergency services.
