The need to synthesise mortality and morbidity information to achieve a more global and relevant measure of population health status is well recognised, with health expectancy indices being the most common approach used to date. Using New Zealand hospital discharge and mortality data over the 1980-98 period, we introduce readers to a newly developed health index, the Hospital Utilisation Expectancy (HUE). We describe how HUE changes with age and over time. New Zealand national and regional trends are described. The methodological strengths of the measure and its applications in the health sector are discussed.