Easier access to GP Teams to keep hospital admissions down

7 December 2015

Easier access to strengthened GP Teams to keep hospital admissions down

Fewer hospital admissions, as a result of easier access to GP teams providing a wider range of services is one of the goals of the new Health Care Homes programme being rolled out in GP practices in Wellington, Porirua and Kapiti over the coming months.

Capital & Coast DHB Chair Virginia Hope says, the Health Care Homes work programme aims help GPs to change the way they provide care to provide patients with better, quicker access, and to avoid patients having to make unnecessary trips to hospital.

This might mean the ability to have a telephone or online consultation with your GP, faster access to an urgent face-to face appointment, and the ability to book your own appointment time.

Using online tools, patients can also now access results, order repeat prescriptions and email their GP team with online tools to better manage their own health. In future, the programme will involve community services such as District Nursing, working more closely with GP teams to care for the small percentage of the population with complex conditions that make them more likely to end up in hospital.

“It makes sense for the hospital, GP team and community services to work together to provide more joined up services for people with complex needs – to help keep them well.”

CCDHB in partnership with Compass Health, Cosine, Well Health and Ora Toa PHOs began calling for expressions of interest for a Health Care Home Programme in October and now has nine practices signed up to Health Care Homes, the programme is expected to cost around $6 million over three years, and to cover up to 185,000 patients.

Martin Hefford, CEO Compass Health said the PHOs and DHB had been extremely pleased with the level of interest in Health Care Homes they had received from GPs and PHOs.

Dr Jeff Lowe said the Karori Medical Centre was proud to be selected in the 1st tranche of practices to lead the development of the Health Care Home in CCDHB.

“We believe people should live well with their family and whanau within the community. Health Care Homes is a key to getting people well and keeping them well closer to home.

“It will allow a transformational change of the model of care to better address the challenges of growing acute demand and increasing complexity of care with a flexibility of funding that will allow those models to be truly person centred and best for the system as a whole.

“We look forward to offering both active and proactive care to our patients and community with a workforce, facilities and relationships that extend the range and reach of services beyond what we can currently offer to support those we care for,” Dr Lowe said.
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