Patients in Control of Own Healthcare the Future, says GP 13 Feb 2018

Patients managing their own healthcare online is the future says a Bay of Plenty GP, and the future is here.

Patients managing their own healthcare online is the future says a Bay of Plenty GP, and the future is here.

Dr Marshall Hollister-Jones, of Tauranga’s Chadwick Healthcare, says his practice has been offering the ManageMyHealth website (by which patients can access their personal health records) for five years.

“We have over 2000 people registered and that number is increasing all the time,” said Dr Hollister-Jones. “It’s turning patients from being passive recipients to being partners in, and driving, their own care. It’s a significant shift and leads to better results for the patients. It’s what the future will look like.”

Through the secure website patients can access information on things like: medications; diagnoses; immunisations history; test results; reminders – e.g. for your flu jab; booking appointments; lodging queries; changes in treatment. Enrolled patients simply have to sign up for the service.

As of 1 February, Chadwick Healthcare also became the first practice regionally to upload records of all doctor’s visits.

“The doctor’s notes are available after each appointment so patients can refer back to them,” said Dr Hollister-Jones. “Patients often have difficulty recalling the details of a consultation, so a written record provides a reminder, especially around agreed management plans or medication changes.”

Chadwick patients Kate and Jim Cater are keen users of ManageMyHealth.

“Often at the doctor there is a lot of information to take in and it’s easy to miss something,” said Kate. “Having the facility to check is important, and must be particularly so for people who have difficult conditions/multiple medications/input from several professionals, etc.”

“Online is the way we do everything these days, shop online, bank online. It just seems a logical progression to manage your health online."

BOPDHB Media Release - 12/02/18