Waikato healthcare outcomes improve with patient messaging

Auckland, New Zealand, 2 December 2010 - Healthcare outcomes in Waikato have received a boost this year with the introduction of Vensa Health's TXT2Remind practice-patient messaging system across a group of general practices in North Waikato. Missed appointments have dropped by over a quarter with the introduction of the system which delivers appointment reminders, screening and immunisation reminders, health advice, medication reminders and laboratory results direct to the patient.

Raukura Hauora O Tainui, which offers a range of primary health care services to over 20000 clients within the boundaries of Tainui, made the practice-patient messaging system available across their North Waikato district general practices at the start of the year.

Vensa Health Chief Executive Ahmad Jubbawey says, "Our system makes it easier for GPs to communicate with patients, and patients are more likely to turn up to appointments when receiving reminders via text message. GP providers in North Waikato have already seen a marked increase appointment attendance and a range of positive health outcomes, including a significant boost in immunisation rates."

Wayne McLean, Chief Executive at Raukura Hauora O Tainui says, "To improve health and prevent illness we need to be really smart about our time and resources to get the best performance we can. Every missed appointment is a missed opportunity to help someone. TXT2Remind has been a very effective tool to encourage people to access the services they need, when they need them."

"We've seen marked improvements in immunisation rates. Before the introduction of the system we were running at an average of 55% coverage for immunisation. We're now at 85% coverage on average, and two of our clinics are sitting at 100%. We're particularly pleased at the improvements as we've come from a low base (the national figure is 88%), with a registered population that is seen as hard to reach."

Brett Paradine, GM Funding and Planning from Waikato District Health Board says, "We've seen an impressive improvement in immunisation performance from Raukura over the past year. HPV and childhood immunisation have increased. We know that a key component in achieving and maintaining high immunisation rates is systematic precall and recall of vaccinations."

Felicity Dumble, public health physician and immunisation champion for Waikato District Health Board says, "This initiative has been a great success. Not only is this going to protect these children who are immunised, it will benefit their community reducing the spread of these destructive diseases."

This year Raukura have also seen a lift in performance across a wide range of scheduled interventions, procedures, and screening processes such as mammograms and cervical screening, that require reminders and follow-ups.

McLean says, "Last year we organized with Breastscreen Midland to locate the mobile breast screening caravan at some of our clinics, at which point screening coverage was at 40%, we've already lifted that to 53%. We've also seen a significant shift in performance with our diabetes patients, with more attending for review of their condition."

Vensa Health has been focused on how their TXT2Remind system can help support the government's priority health targets.

"Providers using our system have seen impressive improvements in increased immunisation for 2 year olds, which is one of the government's six priority health targets. Better diabetes and cardiovascular services and improved access to elective surgery are also priority health targets we are addressing. Providers using our system have reported improved attendance to free diabetes annual checks and CVD risk assessment, and surgical appointments," says Jubbaway.

McLean says, "We know the biggest challenge facing us over the next while is chronic disease, particularly heart disease, diabetes and respiratory diseases. We need to be really putting health messages in front of people, and text messaging does this very effectively."

ENDS

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