The National Health Board has stepped in to assess services at Dunedin Hospital because of long waiting times and substandard administration practices.
The board says the assessment will focus on hospital systems like patient flows and administration systems, but not individual clinical practice.
The board's deputy director, Michael Hundleby, says there are long-standing problems at the hospital that need to be addressed, such as emergency department waiting times and waiting lists for colonoscopy procedures.
Mr Hundleby says other issues include long radiology waiting lists, inconsistent booking processes and investment in neurosurgery.
The assessment will begin in the next week.
The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists says a number of specialists at the hospital have raised serious concerns.
