Better access to information through hub
Patients ringing Tauranga Hospital wanting to check or change their hospital appointments are getting faster access to this information through a new patient information centre .
This month the Bay of Plenty DHB launched the Patient Information Centre 0800 line after a successful trial of the service covering Orthopaedics and General Surgery departments .
Patient Information Centre Coordinator , Adele Dreadon says , “ For a long time we ’ ve had a Regional Call Centre where people could ring or email to confirm whether or not they could attend their scheduled appointment .
“ But the sheer volume of calls often meant people were put on hold or transferred to the wrong department resulting in delays in them getting the information requested . Leaving people frustrated on both ends of the call .”
Through the Patient Information Centre calls are handled by a team of five . This team is charged with the task of finding the information and passing the information back to the patient within 48 hours .
“ It ’ s like a one-stop shop for information . The team tracks down the information required . That means fewer calls are transferred , and fewer people are ‘ lost in the system ’ seeking information .”
Adele says on average the team is answering approximately 200 calls each day as well as replying to text and e-mail messages . Most calls are about checking , changing or cancelling appointments . “ We do get some calls from people wanting a repeat prescription for medication they ’ ve been prescribed while they ’ ve been under specialist care at the hospital . We advise them to see their GP .”
The Patient Information Centre team handles calls about Orthopaedics , General Surgery Gynaecology , Paediatrics , Rheumatology and Podiatry .
Feedback from the public about the service has so far been positive with 79 % ranking the service as excellent , and 93 % indicating the Centre was able to provide the information requested .
If you need information about your appointment phone 0800 333 477 or email contact . us @ bopdhb . govt . nz
Some of the faces behind the Information Centre , from left to right : Valerie Morrison , Adele Dreadon and Liz Riepen .
Stop mosquitoes visiting your home
With the weather getting warmer , mosquitoes can start to appear more frequently .
“ Mosquitoes can bite your skin and can cause reactions such as itching , redness and swelling ,” says Medical Officer of Health , Dr Phil Shoemack . If left untreated , the bites can sometimes become infected . A good way to prevent being bitten is to stop mosquitoes from establishing their home near your home .
Mosquitoes like to live and breed in standing , still water – any kind , anywhere . “ Getting rid of things that hold water around your home is a simple way to stop them ,” says Dr Shoemack . Some practical things you can do :
� Keep swimming pools well chlorinated and filtered , and free of dead leaves .
� Empty and clean animal and pet drinking water .
� Empty paddling pools . � Seal or cover rainwater tanks .
� Overturn boats , canoes and dinghies – in fact , anything you have to store outside that could hold water .
� Get rid of all old tyres and drill holes in the bottom of tyre swings .
For more information visit the Ministry of Health website and search for mosquito – www . health . govt . nz
Taking the barb out of the barbeque this summer
What better way to enjoy summer than to eat outdoors ? Before you fire up the barbeque and whip up a salad – take a minute to ensure you , your friends and family will be safe from the misery of food poisoning .
Every year lots of New Zealanders get foodborne illnesses and many are caused by unsafe food handling practices in the home .
Medical Officer of Health , Dr Phil Shoemack says , “ Whether you go on a picnic , barbeque or camping trip – you ’ ll be taking your food out of the fridge or freezer . As soon as the temperature of the food begins to rise , bacteria in the food can multiply and this could be a risk . Unless perishable food is handled properly , it can cause problems so keep hot food HOT and cold food COLD – or don ’ t keep it at all .”
Cleaned the barbeque since last summer ? A dirty barbeque is a haven for pests which love to spread bacteria so make sure it has been cleaned before you use it . Your hands and any utensils also need to be cleaned thoroughly ( wash for 20 seconds , dry for 20 seconds ) before and after preparing food .
“ Cross contamination from raw to cooked foods is one of the biggest risks . Be careful with knives , cutting boards , hands – anything used for raw and cooked foods and clean them thoroughly when moving from raw to cooked foods .” Preferably use different chopping boards for meat and other food .
New research centred on Bay of Plenty children , shows throat swabbing programmes aimed at identifying infections which can cause rheumatic fever have the greatest impact when they are provided at school .
Rheumatic fever is a serious disease which can lead to permanent heart damage if left untreated . Children and young people from Māori and Pacific communities are the most vulnerable .
In the Eastern Bay Māori children aged 5-15 have a one in 40-90 chance of getting Acute Rheumatic Fever ( ARF ) in their school years , compared to 1 in 10,000 for NZ European children nationwide .
Research led by Whakatāne Hospital Paediatrician John Malcolm shows the school-based throat swabbing programme currently provided in Opotiki , Kawerau , Murupara , and Ngai Tuhoe schools has halved ARF rates in the last five years . And for the greatest at risk group , Māori boys , the improvement is by two thirds .
Twice a week during school time children with sore throats in those schools get their throats checked and throat swabs taken , by community health workers .
The golden rule for barbeques is that perishable foods should always be refrigerated until needed , which means removing food from the fridge or chilly bin only when you are ready to cook it on the barbeque . Also remember to ensure food is not packed into a chilly bin while it ’ s still warm - food cannot cool quickly enough in a chilly bin to prevent bacteria growing .
“ When cooking , always make sure chicken , pork , sausages and minced products like hamburger patties are cooked until the juices run clear – there should be no hint of pink . It can be better to pre-cook these foods . When taking foods off the barbeque , use a clean plate , not the plate which held the raw meat . Also , introduce variety and healthier choices for your family and friends with the addition of options such as barbequed sweet corn , vegetarian kebabs , grilled eggplant or zucchini ,” Dr Shoemack says .
It ’ s simple – Clean , Cook , Cover , Chill . For more information visit www . foodsmart . govt . nz
School sore throat swabbing programme has impact in Bay of Plenty
Dr Malcolm celebrating five years of the throat swabbing programme with Eastern Bay PHA staff ; Kate Dooley , Kate Ball , Liisa Wana and Sandra Ball .
For those that need them , antibiotics are provided on GP standing orders through the community health workers from three iwi led hauora and the Eastern Bay PHA .
But in Whakatāne where there was no schoolbased Rheumatic Fever Prevention Programme , the research shows rates have almost doubled . Sore throat drop-in clinics have since started in four of the schools with once weekly swabbing .
“ Providing the sore throat swabbing programme at school makes it easier for children in those high risk groups to access the treatment they need . It ’ s normal to talk about sore throats in those schools as the health workers are familiar , often whanau , and are there twice a week ,” says Dr Malcolm .
This research recognised at the recent BOPDHB Clinical Research Awards helps to document the school programmes effectiveness and the chances of school programmes being sustainable and funded in the future .
Rheumatic fever is a preventable disease that is caused by a Group A Streptococcus ( GAS ) sore throat . A GAS sore throat can be identified by a simple throat swab . If ignored , rheumatic fever can cause permanent heart damage .