Day by Day

Problem: Primary care services could be more accessible and efficient for people who find it hard to attend in person.

Solution: Videoconference services on mobile phone, with the patient’s GP, booked online and followed up online.

Problem: Parents of Maori children with asthma have difficulties getting their children to take medication, and how healthcare interactions occur in a consultation can be culturally distancing.

Solution: Development of a personalised mhealth programme that encourages personal, social and culturally comfortable interaction between Maori parents, their children who have asthma and their clinicians, and support effective use of asthma medications.

Problem: Laboratory results return to primary care services and are followed up according to manual processes that are tailored to each GP’s preferences. If lab results are normal, then ‘no news is good news’ applies and patients are not notified. Some lab results are missed, some follow up is lost.

Solution: Two-fold solution. 1. Case list management automated in the GP practice management software. 2. Once GP signs off lab result, patient receives automated phone message to indicate if result is normal and no action required, or if appointment is required to discuss and action the result.

Problem: It’s hard to take medicines as prescribed and people lose track and sometimes lose their medicine containers.

Solution: Medication management software to track taking meds. Plus accelerometer on bottle cap that counts and tracks when bottle opens and meds are taken. Plus Bluetooth facility to find lost bottles using mobile phone. Plus gamification with rewards when meds are taken as prescribed.

Problem: Older people want to keep on living at home as long as possible. Clinicians, volunteers and support services want to help keep older people at home.

Solution: A social media-like diary management system that allocates tasks to providers (volunteers, clinicians and service providers), gives older people ability to rate those who help, offers emergency call service if in danger/need immediate help, supports communication between users and providers, facilitates older people’s requests for assistance. Uses mobile technology.

Problem: People in palliative care have complex needs that change often. Meds change, are difficult to track, review, and revise.

Solution: An electronic medication tracker that holds all a person’s meds, tracks current meds, is update-able, allows for notes about effects and side effects of medications, is viewable and useful for prescribers, patients, support people, palliative workers, and others who contribute to palliative care regardless of setting.