HSA Global provides tools for NZ National Shared Care Pilot
Three district health boards (DHBs) in Auckland, New Zealand are testing new ways of managing the care of people with long-term health conditions, using HSA Global's Collaborative Care Management System.
Three pilots involving selected GP clinics, community pharmacies and hospitals across Auckland, Counties Manukau and Waitemata DHBs have been launched. They are part of a National Shared Care Plan Programme sponsored by the Ministry of Health’s National Health IT Board, working with the three DHBs.
People with long-term health conditions taking part in the pilots have a shared care plan developed for them, which includes a summary of personal health information, their health goals, and the treatment and follow up care they receive. They can access the plan electronically, as can the doctors, nurses and other health professionals caring for them.
Long-term conditions include cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, respiratory disorders, chronic pain, depression and arthritis.
The pilots involve eight GP practices in greater Auckland, several hospital speciality services – including heart failure, gout and acute intervention respiratory services (AIRS), pharmacies and community care services. The pilots are being led by healthAlliance and funded jointly by the DHBs and the National Health IT Board.
Dr Neil Hefford from Grey Lynn Family Medical Centre has been using the system since February 2011.
“Shared care is about putting the person at the centre of their care and involving them in creating an integrated plan for everyone who plays a part in managing their condition,” says Dr Hefford.
“This is likely to include their GP, practice or community nurse, specialists, pharmacist and allied health professionals, but could also include social services or their extended family. The shared care pilots are the first step towards giving people more input into decision making around their treatment and care, and electronic access to their long-term care plan.
“People often think of shared care as shared access to an electronic patient record, but it’s so much more than that.”
Helen McGrinder, Heart Failure Nurse Practitioner at Auckland DHB, says patients have been quick to appreciate the benefits of a shared care plan.
“They really like being a part of their own long-term care plan. Often their biggest concern may be something like being able to play with their grandchildren, and I can ensure that the plan addresses their needs, which in turn gets their buy in.
“In the same visit, I can input information such as blood pressure, weight and heart rate directly into their record and make changes to their medication to help them feel better immediately.
“Patient follow-up notes can be recorded electronically to save time and duplication. Any changes that I make while seeing the patient are shared with all the members of their care team, so that each health professional has an holistic view of that patient’s overall care and the strategy for managing their condition over time.”
National Health IT Board Director Graeme Osborne says shared care makes it easier for a virtual clinical team, including specialists, to treat someone in the community.
“Most importantly, this means health care consumers get the best, most timely treatment for their condition.”
About 70 percent of the health care budget is spent on people with long-term conditions.
“So this also has major benefits for the health system – reducing costs and freeing up hospital care for those who most need it.”
The Shared Care Plan pilots will run to December 2011, after which an evaluation will take place to look at extending shared care to more people with long-term conditions.
