The public's health watchdog says a move to publish so-called "league tables" on how hospitals are doing is a step in the right direction.
Health Ministry officials told members of Parliament's Health Select Committee on Wednesday that the league-table information would be published in newspapers in main centres on Saturday.
The ministry says it'll set out how each district health board is doing in meeting government health targets.
These cover cancer waiting times, time spent in emergency departments, and access to elective surgery, diabetes and cardiovascular services, smoking and immunisation.
The Health and Disability Commissioner, Ron Paterson, says it's long overdue. He says he'd like the number of people who die from surgery and infection rates in hospitals added to the information being published by DHBs.
To step down after 10 years in the job
Meanwhile, Mr Paterson has announced he will step down from his role at the end of March after 10 years in the job.
He has been appointed to a chair in law at the University of Auckland.
