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Coaching offers a springboard to better health
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Diabetics are learning the skills to better manage their condition thanks to Nirvana Health and Total Healthcare's involvement in a Counties Manukau DHB health coaching trial. The team behind the trial, involving GPs, nurses and the Wellness Support Team, is thrilled with the results.
Peer Health Coach Celinda Vaiangina, Health Psychologist Nicholas Cao and Dr Walter Muller, pictured from left above, are part of the team at the Otara Mall clinic helping diabetics through coaching.
Health coaching for diabetics started in June 2016 through Counties Manukau DHB's Modified Diabetes Care Improvement Package Pilot. Nirvana Health received seed funding to help patients with HbA1c levels above 75.
Patients become equal partners with healthcare professionals in managing their conditions. "Patients are given the time to improve their level of knowledge of not only diabetes, but the complications, test results, resources, medications and develop a feeling that a whole team cares for them," Nirvana Health's Clinical Performance Director Dr Mahesh Patel says.
Health coaches are peers, like Celinda, who are part of the community. They have all received two-day interactive training in the Health Coaching Curriculum from the Center for Excellence in Primary Care, University of California.
Coaches on the team are also Stanford University self-management leaders experienced in helping people with long-term conditions.
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Self screening for cervical cancer study
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A new study that allows Māori women to take their own samples for cervical screening has just launched involving Total Healthcare, Waitemata DHB and three West Auckland clinics. Pictured is Kate Moodabe from Total Healthcare, centre, with Waitemata DHB staff Jane Grant, left, and Lucina Kau Kau, right.
The study aims to assess if allowing women to take their own samples for cervical screening will improve the rate of women being screened under the National Cervical Screening Programme.
Recruitment of 200 previously unscreened or under-screened Māori women is under way at the Wai Health Clinic, Ranui Medical Centre and Lincoln Road Medical Centre.
Self testing involves the women taking a vaginal swab for testing for the presence of human papillomavirus virus (HPV). The women can take their swabs at the clinic or at home and then return them to the clinic or take them to a Labtests collection centre.
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Caring for New Zealand's future generations
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In support of this year's national immunisation week East Tamaki Healthcare patient Violet Malaesilia shared her experiences as a mum and grandmother in Nirvana staff magazine Brushstrokes. Violet wanted to help give healthcare providers reasons to remind parents why immunisation is so important.
The mum of eight, pictured above with son Agelu, says her heart breaks when she sees sick babies and she wants to help spread the word about a free way to help keep kids healthy.
“The kids are our future and parents need to look after them,” Violet says.
“As a parent, I need my kids to be as healthy as possible. I don’t want them to get sick. It’s important that parents make sure they get their free immunisations."
During national immunisation week in May Nirvana Health Group clinics promoted this year's message about reminding parents and caregivers to check their teenagers' immunisations are up to date.
It can be harder getting teenagers to the clinic but Violet says gentle persistence from parents pays off.
“Parents should not forget something as important as getting their children immunised. Your children should come first,” she says.
“If only half of a generation gets immunised, some people can still pass sickness on.”
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Total Healthcare supports GP intern scheme
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Total Healthcare has been supporting the GP registrar programme for seven years. Dr Dominque Chiu, pictured with Dr Rajiv Sood of Mt Roskill Medical Centre, is among registrars who have worked at Nirvana Health clinics this year.
Dominique says the unique services Nirvana Health offers, including an inhouse wellness team, and the support GP registrars receive impressed her.
Nirvana's GP intern trainers Dr Richard Hulme and Dr Tane Taylor run weekly GP registrar training sessions. Dominique says the sessions provide a chance to discuss difficult situations and the pair also make time during the week to hear about any problems.
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Nirvana Health inhouse mental health expertise
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Nirvana Health's commitment to training young doctors is improving access to mental health treatment for patients and building vital inhouse skills. Dannemora Clinic GPs Dr Prabhu Pandey, pictured left, and Dr Kazi Mahmud, right, had unique training in mental health which means more senior doctors now seek their advice.
Doctors Prabhu and Kazi were among the first to enter an advanced training programme in primary mental health and addiction at Nirvana Health as GP registrars in 2014. The pair is now running weekly patient clinics in South Auckland and providing advice to colleagues.
Nirvana GPs can refer patients to the clinics for early diagnosis and treatment within primary care. People who need specialist DHB services are also identified earlier.
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Working together to improve health outcomes
Total Healthcare contracts Nirvana Health Group as its management support organisation to provide medical and management services required in the PHO/DHB contracts. Nirvana Health providers include East Tamaki Healthcare, West Auckland Healthcare, Mt Roskill Healthcare and White Cross.
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