https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/120673926/coronavirus-he-puna-waiora-wellness-centre-reconfigures
The He Puna Waiora Wellness Centre is going above its usual general practice operations to care for its patients amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The Invercargill centre has reconfigured the way it offers services to keep its patients and staff safe, but its also added extra duties to make sure even those that aren't sick are still well.
It all started, when Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern first announced the country would be moving to level three of its Covid-19 response plan.
General practitioners were encouraged to start managing consultations over the phone or via video conferencing.
The very next day staff from He Puna Waiora Wellness Centre all went into the office to start ringing patients to explain the new process to them.
Nga Kete Matauranga Pounamu chief executive Tracey Wright-Tawha said most patients welcomed the new arrangements.
From Monday last week, staff at the wellness centre began their day by talking to patients to determine who had to come in to see a doctor.
The centre has been operating a telephone triage system for the past 18 months, so this wasn't a huge adjustment, Wright-Tawha said.
The rest of their mornings are now dedicated to vaccination clinics, while patients who need face-to-face consultations are seen in the afternoon.
The practice has managed to reduce these consultations by 70 percent, which was the recommended national guideline, Wright-Tawha said.
With the knowledge that doctor's waiting rooms are high risk areas, the centre has created separated areas for patients waiting for different kinds of appointments and reduced its seating capacity.
"We've modified and adapted what we do," Wright-Tawha said.
Then there's cleaning, which has been stepped up dramatically during the past week, she said.
Every surface in the centre is cleaned at least three times a day and patients are encouraged to use hand sanitiser when they walk through the door.
These measures are not only for patients.
"We want to make sure that we look after the wellbeing of the people who work in the practice," Wright-Tawha said.
Practice staff have been ringing elderly or isolated patients to do wellbeing checks.
Those that need prescriptions will have them delivered to their door, along with extra supplies.
Staff are also checking on vulnerable families to make sure they have the essentials they need like groceries.
Wright-Tawha points out that when people stay at home, the cost of utilities like power go up, leaving little money for other needs.
"It's difficult for families to isolate if they're worried about food," she said.
The wellness centre forms part of the Nga Kete Matauranga Pounamu Charitable Trust, which has also had to adapt the way it provides its social services.
While many Nga Kete staff members are working from home, they continue to offer counselling services over the phone.
This is especially important for gambling addicts, Wright-Tawha said, as she expects online gambling to increase while people are stuck at home.
Staff have gone as far as arranging courier drops of nicotine replacement therapy medication for participants of its Stop Smoking programme.
"We're not closing. We're adapting and looking for ways to keep providing services," Wright-Tawha said.
The He Puna Waiora Wellness Centre is going above its usual general practice operations to care for its patients amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The Invercargill centre has reconfigured the way it offers services to keep its patients and staff safe, but its also added extra duties to make sure even those that aren't sick are still well.
It all started, when Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern first announced the country would be moving to level three of its Covid-19 response plan.
General practitioners were encouraged to start managing consultations over the phone or via video conferencing.
The very next day staff from He Puna Waiora Wellness Centre all went into the office to start ringing patients to explain the new process to them.
Nga Kete Matauranga Pounamu chief executive Tracey Wright-Tawha said most patients welcomed the new arrangements.
From Monday last week, staff at the wellness centre began their day by talking to patients to determine who had to come in to see a doctor.
The centre has been operating a telephone triage system for the past 18 months, so this wasn't a huge adjustment, Wright-Tawha said.
The rest of their mornings are now dedicated to vaccination clinics, while patients who need face-to-face consultations are seen in the afternoon.
The practice has managed to reduce these consultations by 70 percent, which was the recommended national guideline, Wright-Tawha said.
With the knowledge that doctor's waiting rooms are high risk areas, the centre has created separated areas for patients waiting for different kinds of appointments and reduced its seating capacity.
"We've modified and adapted what we do," Wright-Tawha said.
Then there's cleaning, which has been stepped up dramatically during the past week, she said.
Every surface in the centre is cleaned at least three times a day and patients are encouraged to use hand sanitiser when they walk through the door.
These measures are not only for patients.
"We want to make sure that we look after the wellbeing of the people who work in the practice," Wright-Tawha said.
Practice staff have been ringing elderly or isolated patients to do wellbeing checks.
Those that need prescriptions will have them delivered to their door, along with extra supplies.
Staff are also checking on vulnerable families to make sure they have the essentials they need like groceries.
Wright-Tawha points out that when people stay at home, the cost of utilities like power go up, leaving little money for other needs.
"It's difficult for families to isolate if they're worried about food," she said.
The wellness centre forms part of the Nga Kete Matauranga Pounamu Charitable Trust, which has also had to adapt the way it provides its social services.
While many Nga Kete staff members are working from home, they continue to offer counselling services over the phone.
This is especially important for gambling addicts, Wright-Tawha said, as she expects online gambling to increase while people are stuck at home.
Staff have gone as far as arranging courier drops of nicotine replacement therapy medication for participants of its Stop Smoking programme.
"We're not closing. We're adapting and looking for ways to keep providing services," Wright-Tawha said.
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