CarePlus

August 25, 2006 17:08

CarePlus is a nationwide service run through PHOs for people with chronic diseases or other high health needs. 

Through CarePlus the Ministry of Health provides PHOs with additional funding to improve the co-ordination of the  care of people with high health needs. There is sufficient funding to provide CarePlus services to 5% of the population, which means PHOs have to prioritise their services to people with the greatest ability to benefit from the programme. 

The core functions of CarePlus are to provide support and coordination of care for patients with high health needs. International evidence shows that coordinating the care of individuals with chronic ongoing illnesses can lessen their chances of hospitalisation and improve their quality of life..

As at 30 June 2008, 9,763 people in Canterbury were enrolled in CarePlus. Of these, 8,087 are European, 666 are Maori, 314 are Asian and 266 identified themselves as Pacific people.

General practice teams have worked with each of these individuals to develop a plan of care for them. This plan works out the best way to keep this person as well as possible and ensures individual health needs are being met in an holistic way. These figures exceeded our targets for the 2007/08 year.

Comprehensive progress is also being made on developing a software package to simplify the registration and claims process for practices. This will encourage practices to continue to enrol patients into CarePlus.

CarePlus aims to enhance the care for those enrolled in it by:

• Delivering services tailored to meet their needs
• Working in partnership with them and their family/whanau to maximise their quality of life in the face of significant health issues
• Expanding the range of services available to them

What are the benefits of CarePlus?

A survey was done in 2005 on whether CarePlus is working for the 2,500 people enrolled in it through Partnership Health Canterbury.

This survey found that 91% of patients felt their medical care was better as a result of CarePlus. 

It also found:

• 86% of people were satisfied with the benefits of the CarePlus programme
• 59% of people saw a doctor more than they usually would as a result of being on the CarePlus programme

The patients also listed the benefits of CarePlus, among them

• I don’t wait now for three monthly checks
• I have a better control of my health
• I am getting the support I need
• I am getting a referral to specialist facilities
• There is a better follow up

General Practices have also been surveyed for feedback on CarePlus. Key findings of that survey were

• 90% of general practices surveyed agreed that CarePlus is beneficial to patients who need extra care
• 82% of respondents said they would recommend CarePlus to other practices