Savings of $4 million have been reaped by the Bermuda Hospitals Board through cutting down on contracts and consulting, its 2011 Annual Report reveals.The report, presented yesterday by Health Minister Zane DeSilva, also shows a marked rise in satisfaction with the Emergency Department, where waiting time was cut by the introduction of fast tracking.Satisfaction with King Edward VII Memorial Hospital’s busiest department rose from 52 percent in April 2009 to 85 percent in December 2010.Fast tracking, which puts waiting times in line with the severity of cases, was introduced in 2010, and reportedly cut waits from 79 minutes to an average of 59 minutes.There were 33,314 Emergency visits logged for the 2010/11 fiscal year.The report covers a milestone year for BHB, with the groundbreaking of the new hospital facility, and the initiation of sweeping changes at the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute under the Mental Health Plan.Other highlights include the launch of digital mammography and a new cardiology practice at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.Mortality for patients suffering from strokes was halved, from 28 percent in 2003, to 13 percent — in line with Canada’s success rate.Although the hospitalist programme has been a target of Opposition criticism, the report said patient satisfaction with hospital physicians rose by 20 percent upon the 2008 introduction of the programme.Satisfaction was given at 90 percent.The much-anticipated document was frank on the topic of costs, acknowledging the effects of the recession, the rise in healthcare expenditure and the 2014 deadline for payments to commence for the new hospital facility.In the 2011 fiscal year, the BHB put aside $7.2 million toward covering those expenses. On top of the $6.9 million from the previous year, the BHB had just over $14 million put aside by March 31, 2011.In his opening statement, Chairman Wendall Brown noted the review of BHB contracts conducted over the 2011 fiscal year.“BHB’s goal was to maintain only those contracts which were vital for us to meet the long term healthcare needs of Bermuda,” Mr Brown wrote. “A number of contracts were terminated or reduced, leading to savings of over $4 million.”Mr DeSilva added that a review of consulting contracts had also saved money, and said the BHB’s memorandum of understanding with local insurers had put a cap on their exposure to BHB costs.The Minister hailed the report as “an extremely encouraging and positive narrative about how healthcare is being improved in Bermuda, while remaining focused on controlling costs and maximising its efficiency”.Asked if there were plans for interim BHB chief of staff Victor Scott to stay on longer than three months, Mr DeSilva acknowledged the appointment was “a short time”, adding: “For him to continue, I think that remains open, while a review is taking place.”The report is available online, under the news and media tab, at www.bermudahospitals.bm.