One of the most pressing issues is the ageing GP workforce, with a significant proportion of doctors nearing retirement age.
One of the most pressing issues is the ageing GP workforce, with a significant proportion of doctors nearing retirement age.
OPINION:
Last Friday marked an important day in the medical calendar - Family Doctor Day. It’s a day to acknowledge and appreciate the hard work, dedication, and vital role of our GPs in Aotearoa.
Family doctors have for decades been the bedrock of our healthcare system. Their role is one of immense responsibility, requiring a broad knowledge base, excellent communication skills, and a deep understanding of their patients’ lives.
Moreover, the nature of general practice has changed over the years. GPs today deal with more complex health issues than in the past, including managing ageing populations, chronic disease, complex medication and increasing mental health presentations.
In a functioning healthcare system, primary care is a patient’s “go to solution” to manage and maintain their health.
The GP landscape in New Zealand is currently undergoing significant challenges that we cannot ignore. One of the most pressing issues is the ageing GP workforce, with a significant proportion of doctors nearing retirement age.
This subject has been well litigated but what’s less so, is that we are also facing a crisis in terms of our systems, processes and medications.
When the internet first came to New Zealand, leaders within the big telcos believed that it would transform healthcare. Instead it transformed banking, dating and shopping without really making a dent in the opportunity that it presented for healthcare.
When I first stepped into the healthcare sector, I was astonished by the state of the systems and infrastructure. The fragmentation and lack of data were startling reminders that our healthcare technology seems to have been ensnared in a time warp, tethered to fax machines in the early 2000s.
This is a significant problem, as it is creating an administrative burden for our clinicians who already are stretched to the max. So what are the things that need to change to drive a better working environment for clinicians and better healthcare outcomes for patients?
Firstly, we need an interoperable health system. A well-functioning healthcare system should enable seamless sharing of patient data across different healthcare providers, specialties, and institutions. This means different systems and software applications should be able to exchange and interpret shared data.
Composition with family figure and stethoscope on wooden table. Health care concept
Let me be clear, this should not mean an increased administrative burden, the huge administrative burden already on primary healthcare within a dysfunctional system is simply unfathomable. Technology should instead be used to improve the burden, rather than add to it.
Through appropriate data collection we should be able to improve patient outcomes, predict epidemics, avoid preventable diseases, reduce healthcare costs, and improve the quality of life for our people. This also includes the appropriate use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyse trends and make predictions to support clinical decision making.
These types of systems cost time and money, and we therefore must scrutinise our government’s spend in the healthcare sector.
The Government’s announcement yesterday regarding the whopping $619 million of funding for prescription medication was positioned as a big ticket win for many.
And while access to medication for those most vulnerable should be given a significant priority, we should instead expand and improve access to existing initiatives such as the Community Services Card or Prescription Subsidy Scheme targeting those most in need.
Because funding those who simply don’t need it, for prescriptions such as Paracetamol and Viagra when according to the Medicine Gap “almost 100 medicines approved for funding by MedSafe are languishing on a waiting list, including modern medicines to treat mental health, cancer, diabetes, cardiac conditions, rare disorders, Crohn’s disease and arthritis” is irresponsible.
According to the Medicine Gap, “New Zealand sits at the bottom of the developed world for access to modern medicines” and to every person currently fundraising for lifesaving medication on Givealittle, this is a kick in the teeth.
That $619 million would almost fund the entire waiting list of the top 73 medications which would be transformative for New Zealanders.
I fiercely support our local pharmacies and this policy will help them compete sustainably but we must ask ourselves, are we spending $619 million to add to the coffers of the big corporations who already waive the $5 fee?
It’s not well understood that pharmacies must pay this fee (meant to be taken from the patient) and pay it to Te Whatu Ora. So, the decision to remove the fee entirely will mean the discount pharmacies (who already waive the fee for patients) will no longer have to pay the public health system for every prescription, adding tens of millions of dollars to the profit of these companies without them lifting a finger.
Will they then use this money to either more aggressively pursue our community pharmacies or take significant profits offshore from our New Zealand taxpayers? Or a combination of both?
The question must also be asked, would those who can rather pay $5 throughout their life for prescriptions and instead have access to lifesaving cancer medication when they are most in need or be left on Givealittle to beg for funding?
Addressing these challenges requires careful consideration, a concerted, multi-faceted effort from all stakeholders, including the government, healthcare institutions, and the medical community.
So, this Family Doctor Day, as we celebrate the invaluable contributions of our GPs, let’s also pledge to advocate for and implement the necessary changes to support them. Let’s bring our healthcare services into the 20s and ensure that instead of being at the bottom of the OECD we aim for the top.
Our health, and the health of future generations in New Zealand, hinges on it.
