New Quality Framework offers more flexibility21/02/2020 Flexible, fit-for-purpose and simple is how The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners is describing its new Quality Framework. In this issue of RAPHS Files we look at the changes and how they will impact on general practice. |
Polishing the jewel07/02/2020 In this issue of RAPHS Files we talk to our new Service Development and Contracts Manager, Nigel Hoare. |
Tackling complex health and social needs24/01/2020 The RAPHS Extended Care Support Team offers support to general practices managing patients with complex health and social needs. In this issue of RAPHS Files we look at some case studies and how the team can help you in 2020. |
From growing trees to growing healthy whānau13/12/2019 In this, our final issue of RAPHS Files for 2019, we talk to our new Information Systems Manager, Rikimata Massey. |
A family affair at Tiaho Medical Centre29/11/2019 In this issue of RAPHS Files we meet the new team at Tiaho Medical Centre in Owhata. |
Getting on top of CVD assessment and management22/11/2019 Improving the accuracy and consistency of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk assessment and management is an opportunity to improve equity in health outcomes for our population. In this RAPHS News Alert we look at the Ministry of Health’s work to support the accuracy of assessment and standardisation of results across the country. |
Cervical screening age change comes into effect1/11/2019 The cervical screening start age is changing from 20 to 25 years from November 2019. In this issue of RAPHS Files we look at the impact of the change on general practice. |
Changes to information sharing18/10/2019 Changes to Information Sharing Provisions of the Family Violence Act 2018 and Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 came into effect on 1 July 2019. In this issue of RAPHS Files we look at the changes and how they will affect general practice. |
On the road to improved mental wellbeing04/10/2019 Nurse practitioner (mental health and addictions) Sarah Barkley joined RAPHS’ Extended Care Support Team in December. RAPHS Files caught up with her to find out how she is working with people to “restore their mana, help them feel better, and improve their overall wellbeing”. |
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Helping the doctors and nurses of tomorrow06/09/2019 For more than a decade, RAPHS has offered medical and nursing undergraduate scholarships to local students wanting to work in the health sector. In this issue we speak to this year’s recipients and look at what the scholarships offer. |
In case of emergency23/08/2019 When flooding forced the evacuation of hundreds of people in Ngongotaha in April 2018, RAPHS was on hand to offer assistance to those needing access to primary healthcare. Now it has joined a local emergency response group to plan for future emergencies. |
Farewell to our IS leading light26/07/2019 After nearly 20 years working for RAPHS, information systems manager Chris Walmsley is heading south to enjoy “semi-retirement”. In this issue of RAPHS Files we say farewell to a much-loved colleague and architect of our nationally-recognised patient management application PatientWise. |
Information management made easy12/07/2019 RAPHS has launched its new information management resource for member practices. In this issue of RAPHS Files we look at the new way of receiving financial, clinical and performance progress reports in ProviderWise. |
Tackling the issue of 'GP Unknown'28/06/2019 It’s hoped giving frontline hospital staff an easy way to look up patients’ GP status will improve outcomes for patients and promote collaboration across primary and secondary healthcare. In this issue of RAPHS Files, we look at the GP Unknown Project. |
Role of nurses in primary care increases31/05/2019 As general practice looks to find more efficient ways to deliver primary care in the community the role of nurse practitioners and nurse prescribers is growing. In this issue of RAPHS Files we meet some of the people working in these roles in Rotorua. |
Taking the patient pulse3/05/2019 Taking part in the Patient Experience Survey is an opportunity to improve service delivery and patient safety. On the eve of the next quarterly survey RAPHS Files looks at the value of general practices participating in the survey. |
Privacy is everyone's responsibility3/05/2019 As we approach Privacy Week, 13-18 May, find out what your practice can do to promote privacy awareness and inform people of their rights under the Privacy Act. |
Professional development on tap18/04/2019 In this issue of the RAPHS Files we look at how we offer continuing education to health professionals as part of our commitment to workforce development. |
Solving social issues to improve health22/03/2019 Rose Selwyn has joined the Extended Care Support Team in the role of social worker. In this week’s RAPHS Files we look at what the role entails and how it fits in with the team’s work in the community. |
National Bowel Screening Programme goes live22/02/2019 The National Bowel Screening Programme is now live in the Lakes DHB area. The programme is free for men and women aged 60-74 years. It aims to save lives by finding bowel cancer at an early stage when it can often be treated successfully. |
Continuing to grow and improve in partnership22/02/2019 2019 is going to be an exciting year in healthcare. In this issue of RAPHS Files we look at how we will be working with you this year, because ‘Together, we make it better’. |
Support in place for NES go-live8/02/2019 The National Enrolment Service (NES) is going live from April 1, 2019. In this issue of RAPHS Files we reveal how our NES 2 Project will support the transition to NES-based funding for general practices.
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Extended care support just a referral away25/01/2019 RAPHS’ Extended Care Support Team is available to help patients improve their wellbeing and outcomes. In this issue of RAPHS Files we look at the work of the team and introduce you to the newest team member, nurse practitioner (mental health) Sarah Barkley. |
2018 - The year that was21/12/2018 This is the final RAPHS Files for 2018. |
Smoking rates declining in RAPHS population7/12/2018 GPs can give themselves a pat on the back for helping to decrease rates of smoking among the RAPHS population. |
New clinical services added for 201923/11/2018 RAPHS is to fund two new clinical services for 2019 - advanced care planning and iron infusions. In this issue of the RAPHS Files we look at what these two services involve and who will be eligible for funding. |
Team Rotorua Alliance agree on data integration9/11/2018 RAPHS is pleased to announce the completion of its Enrolled Service Users (ESU) register, a crucial step in making sure practices receive accurate funding.practices receive accurate funding. |
ESU Register to Ensure Accurate Funding26/10/2018 RAPHS is pleased to announce the completion of its Enrolled Service Users (ESU) register, a crucial step in making sure practices receive accurate funding. RAPHS explains its significance. |
Practices Shine in Latest Survey Results28/09/2018 General Practice patients in the Rotorua region are in safe and caring hands, according to the latest Patient Experience Survey results. |
National Enrolment Service Goes Live14/09/2018 After a huge amount of effort and commitment by General Practices throughout New Zealand, the MOH National Enrolment Service (NES) is live. |
RAPHS Helps Rural Practice Meet Winter Demand31/08/2018 With additional resourcing and support from RAPHS, Mangakino Health Service was able to relieve the pressure of winter ailments and improve timely access to patients. |
DESMOND Turns Cheyenne's Life Around17/08/2018 Cheyenne Honey shares her inspirational story of how attending a DESMOND training sessions improved her health and wellbeing. |
Working Together on Acute Demand3/08/2018 Team Rotorua Alliance is driving an acute demand programme that embodies the RAPHS motto, "together we make it better". |
Foot Mechanics offers fully funded orthotics20/07/2018 “We live in an area where a lot of people lead an active outdoor lifestyle. |
Ranolf Leads the Way by Achieving all Quality Targets09/07/2018 Ranolf Medical Centre has become the first practice in the RAPHS region to reach all population and equity targets - no easy feat. At Ranolf, the team believe that targets are just the beginning. |
RAPHS Member Meetings22/06/2018 Lock in the date - we're just 12 days away from the next RAPHS Member Meeting. |
Delia takes control of her diabetes after DESMOND training08/06/2018 Delia Mckinnon was already keen to take control of her diabetes when she heard about two programmes that would help her do this. |
Green Prescriptions help people help themselves25/05/2018 Brenda Sommerville's health and fitness journey began 25 years ago, when her doctor informed her she was at risk of having diabetes. |
Charitable Trust brings Whanau Ora to Pacific Islands community11/05/2018 The concept of Whanau Ora has been warmly embraced in the RAPHS region, particularly among local iwi and the health providers who work with them. |
Registered Nurse Joins RAPHS' Extended Care Support Team27/04/2018 Annabel Senior brings experience from a diverse range of locations to her new nursing role with RAPHS’ Extended Care Support Team. |
RAPHS puts General Practice first with funding for new services29/03/2018 The RAPHS Board requested the development of further acute demand services, and how best to deliver additional FTE to support improved patient health outcomes. |
RAPHS IS teams work to help general practices02/03/2018 RAPHS Information Systems is led by Chris Walmsley, with two teams based at the RAPHS offices. |
Tipu Ora offers more help to general practices22/01/2018 The stop-smoking provider will help RAPHS-area practices reach their ABC targets by contacting patients who smoke. |
Sweet success - a diabetes patient speaks
15/12/2017 This is the last RAPHS files for 2017. Let's end the year with a positive reminder that our hard work does make people's lives better. Today we speak with Robert, a patient with Type-2 diabetes whose life is improving with the help of RAPHS-area specialists. |
Korowai offers Christmas aroha to children15/12/2017 Dozens of children will experience the joy of opening presents this Christmas - thanks to the generous donations of staff at Korowai Aroha Health Centre. |
RAPHS' patient registers prove a hit
01/12/2017 We report on the achievements of practices under RAPHS' new patient register system - and offer some 'tips and tricks' for making the most of them. |
New training programme to help RAPHS-area people with diabetes
17/11/2017 New DESMOND trainers aim to educate people with Type 2 diabetes about managing their conditions. |
Health psychology patients find a 'new normal' at QE Health
03/11/2017 Eight months since RAPHS started offering patients with long-term psychological conditions funding access to QE Health Services, we catch up with Glenda Light to find out how it's working. |
RAPHS leads the way on retinal screening
20/10/2017 RAPHS' retinal screening programme demonstrates how an advanced data system can provide across-the-board benefits. |
RAPHS and the future of patient portals
06/10/2017 Concluding our series on patient portals, we talk with RAPHS information systems manager Chris Walmsley about the future of such technology. |
Cancer survivor ensures RAPHS women get cervical, breast checks
22/09/2017 June Grant talks about the battle with cancer that inspired her to help women in the RAPHS area receive mammograms and cervical checks. |
Te Ngae trials patient portal on Profile software
08/09/2017 In the second of a two-part series on patient portals, we examine Te Ngae Medical Centre's trial of a portal that can be used by practices on Profile systems. Practice manager Henri Egger tells us about the challenges, the benefits and the excitement surrounding the centre's new portal. |
Health information belongs to patients at Ranolf
25/08/2017 This week, we're checking progress at two practices using Manage My Health patient portals. At Ranolf Medical Centre, staff find that patient portal technology creates benefits that are both practical and ethical. |
Manage My Health a winner at Ngongotaha
25/08/2017 This week, we're checking progress at two practices using Manage My Health patient portals. At Ngongotaha Medical Centre, managers and staff are working towards the ambitious goal of having 50 percent of patients using the online service. |
Opioid Substitution Treatment (OST) - funding via the DHB
25/08/2017 New funding allows patients Opioid Substitution (OST) to access four extended-care consults each year, during which their OST plan is reviewed and updated. Each of the four extended consults will be paid at $76. Details (including consult guidelines) are available here. |
Nurses enter practices with assistance from NETP programme
11/08/2017 With many nurses approaching retirement in the RAPHS area, we take a look at the Nurse Entry to Practice (NETP) programme and the ways it benefits patients, nurses and practices. |
Breast Practice - how a RAPHS clinic is helping expectant mothers
28/07/2017 Breastfeeding provides many benefits for both mum and baby, including it's role in helping to prevent Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy (SUDI). With World Breastfeeding Week starting on Tuesday, we examine the work of a breastfeeding clinic based at RAPHS. |
Rural nurse thrives in partnership with Extended Care Support Team
17/07/2017 A Mangakino Health Services nurse in making a difference in her community - with a little help from the ECST. |
Nurses make a difference at Korowai Aroha Health Centre
03/07/2017 Nurses across the region are broadening their roles in clinical care - and Korowai Aroha Health Centre is a shining example of how this is benefiting patients.
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Group purchasing supplier chosen
19/06/2017 RAPHS members will benefit from significant discounts on medical supplies as part of an agreement with USL Medical. |
Clinical pharmacy service gathers momentum
02/06/2017 One year from it's introduction, RAPHS' clinical pharmacists discuss their service's milestones and how it is evolving. |
New health service will help osteoarthritis patients19/05/2017 Heading into tomorrow's World Autoimmune Arthritis Day, we look at an online resource for osteoarthritis patients that has just been introduced to the RAPHS area. |
Change brings improvements to medical centre
05/05/2017 Ngongotaha Medical Centre has embraced RAPHS' new consolidated quality plan by seeking fresh new ways to improve reporting, efficiency and patient care. |
Extending the reach of patient care
21/04/2017 As resources and funding become increasingly limited, RAPHS continues to search for ways to maximize every patient consultation. This is where the Extended Care Support Team (ECST) comes in, ensuring every patient is thoroughly treated and accounted for. |
Support for new maternal packages of care
07/04/2017 Two women who have taken on leadership roles in RAPHS are backing the announcement of new clinical care packages supporting eligible women during pregnancy. Janet Bland joined RAPHS at the end of last month as the Director of Nursing Services, replacing Vicky Gaunt who left to take up a nurse practitioner role at Rotorua Medical Group. |
RAPHS space: Empowering diabetes patients
24/03/2017 Rotorua patients affected by Type 1 diabetes are benefiting from an outpatient education programme designed to help them feel more in control of their condition. The Dose Adjustment for Normal Eating course, otherwise known as DAFNE, was held in RAPHS' clinical rooms over five days in January. |
New nurse: RAPHS welcomes Jessica Lawn10/03/2017 Quality nursing staff is something RAPHS prides itself on, and the PHO is always seeking ways to help their staff grow and develop, as well as bring new skilled staff into the organisation. Recent addition Jessica Lawn joins the RAPHS team as a registered nurse, with a diverse background and bright future. |
Plunket services: Driving ahead with support
24/02/2017 Ensuring high-needs and hard-to-reach families can access the services they need is a top priority for RAPHS. This focus has resulted in a partnership between Plunket and RAPHS, to offer a much-needed driving programme to the community. Plunket provides the training while RAPHS provides the facilities. |
Secure email: Better systems for confidentiality
10/02/2017 Protecting the private information of Rotorua patients is vital to RAPHS and its network of health care professionals. As such, a new system has been added to further strengthen this security, with a successful uptake of secure email for Lead Maternity Carers (LMCs) in the region. |
Group Purchase initiative offers better value
16/12/2016 Savings, benefits and collaboration – Group Purchasing is a RAPHS initiative to provide benefits and savings to all practices across the network, which builds on the LINC model to provide clinical and business models. RAPHS business manager Gavin Lord explains. |
Taking a holistic approach to patient recovery02/12/2016 For 75 years, QE Health has been New Zealand’s premier health spa, providing services designed to improve patients’ mental and physical wellbeing. Their unique ReCharge programme is an ideal way for patients, who have suffered an injury or illness, to reboot and reload their system in a nurturing environment. |
Funding changes for cervical screenings18/11/2016 From mid-November, RAPHS will receive a reduced amount of funding allocated to ensure priority women get the care they need around cervical screening. As part of this, eligibility has been altered. |
Solving the world's problems... one step at a time04/11/2016 Alongside individuals from the media, lawyers, engineers and fellow health professionals – to name a few – Eui-Jin Kim recently had the opportunity to share his unique work at RAPHS at the 2016 Future Leaders’ Conference (FLC) in Korea, which proved to be an eye-opening experience for our clinical pharmacist. |
Stepping up to the challenge for better wellbeing21/10/2016 The RAPHS team once again demonstrated their commitment to workplace wellness this month by participating in the annual Rotorua Ekiden Relay. It's all part of RAPHS' dedication to workplace health, alongside activities such as weekly runs, mountain bikes and yoga sessions. |
Stoptober: How we're stamping out bad habits07/10/2016 Stoptober is a 31-day campaign encouraging people who wish to put down the packet to do so. However, it can take more than four weeks to stub out this addiction, and as such Clinical Services Manager Matt Watson updates us on what’s being done by RAPHS to meet Ministry of Health targets in smoking cessation. |
Upstairs-Downstairs: The one-stop health 'shop'23/09/2016 With September being Cervical Screening Awareness Month, and Breast Cancer Awareness Month fast approaching, we profile the centre that’s providing a holistic approach to women’s health. It’s affectionately called the Upstairs-Downstairs clinic – a colloquial title for an important part of the RAPHS health network. |
Safe & secure: Keeping your information private09/09/2016 Electronic communication has become a critical part of how we interact. |
Connecting the dots for better B4 School Checks26/08/2016 B4 School Checks are a vital addition to the health sector’s repertoire, identifying any health and developmental issues before children reach the classroom. |
International conference for future leader26/08/2016 The upcoming 2016 Future Leaders’ Conference (FLC) in Korea is a chance for likeminded individuals from around the world to share ideas, success stories and solutions for real-life issues facing the globe. |
Success for RAPHS at NZ Pharmacy Awards12/08/2016 RAPHS and its clinical pharmacy team have been honoured at an event which recognises innovators and leaders in the pharmaceutical industry. |
Sharing spaces - FibroScan clinics at RAPHS12/08/2016 Two FibroScan clinics have been held in RAPHS’ clinical rooms, which proved to be the perfect space for patients and Hepatitis Foundation nursing staff to meet and discuss valuable health information. |
RAPHS service vying for prestigious award29/07/2016 Within months of launching, RAPHS’ new clinical pharmacy service is in the running for a prestigious industry award. The service has been named as one of two finalists in the Pharmaceutical Society Professional Service of the Year category at the 2016 New Zealand Pharmacy Awards. |
A sustainable future15/07/2016 Increasing cost pressures facing the health sector is forcing primary care providers to re-evaluate their business and clinical care models. With RAPHS working to support its members and maintain the future viability of local practices, the organisation has recruited a savvy accountant to join the team. |
Primary Options for Acute Care01/07/2016 In this RAPHS Files feature story, clinical services manager MATT WATSON explains how the Primary Options for Acute Care service is helping to prevent admissions to Rotorua Hospital and what’s being done to make the service even more efficient for both GPs and their patients. |
Embracing new technology17/06/2016 Four years on from the launch of Ranof Medical Centre's patient portal, Dr Harry Pert shares his insights into its success and its challenges. |
A creative spirit at heart17/06/2016 June Grant has been encouraging women to receive life-saving health checks for 7 years since joining RAPHS' as its Breast and Cervical Screening health promoter. She has had little time to focus on her art but a recent trip to Hawaii has rekindled June's creative spirit. READ MORE |
Meeting our health targets03/06/2016 RAPHS is focusing its efforts over the next few months on lifting the PHO's performance across key health targets. |
New pharmacy service bridges gaps20/05/2016 RAPHS’ new clinical pharmacy initiative has special significance for registered pharmacist and RAPHS CEO Kirsten Stone. |
Comprehensive information and updates for health professionals regarding Ebola virus disease can be found at www.health.govt.nz/ebolaguidance.