8 March 2024
Cecilia Robinson, Founder & Co-CEO of Kiwi-owned healthcare company Tend Health, expressed her dismay at the Pāpāmoa Pines Medical Centre's closure, stressing its significant impact on the local community. "Closing Pāpāmoa Pines is a major blow, particularly to the 6,000 patients," she noted, citing GP shortages and funding issues as critical factors."Our sympathies lie with the Pāpāmoa Pines team, whose dedication to healthcare in this rapidly growing area has been unwavering," she added.
Robinson also outlined Tend's proactive approach to this situation, confirming that the centre will reopen with a Tend medical centre. "In response to the closure, we have been working alongside the Pāpāmoa Pines team to reach a practical solution for quite some time. I'm pleased to share that we plan to reopen the medical centre in June 2024, confirming our commitment to ensuring that Pāpāmoa residents continue to receive the essential healthcare services they deserve, within their own community," she stated, reflecting Tend's dedication to meeting the healthcare needs of the Pāpāmoa community.
"Our preparations are already well underway," stated Ms Robinson, as she shed light on the dedication to the local community and the ongoing integration already underway to integrate the four local Tauranga clinics, Chadwick Healthcare, with Tend. "We are already deeply invested in this community and are committed to integrating our Chadwick practises with our technology and operational process. We recognise the significance of this transition period and are acutely aware of its potential impacts on both our team and the community we support."
Robinson asked for support from the community, emphasising the importance of keeping medical services open and accessible in Aotearoa. "In these times of change, we urge the community for support and patience. Change is challenging, but we're dedicated to a smooth transition," she stated. "We have evidence that post integration satisfaction and timely access to care will improve for our patients."
Robinson said that Tend's dedication to tackling systemic issues within the healthcare sector, highlighted the organisation's comprehensive strategy. "Our focus stretches far beyond merely reopening the centre," she remarked. "We're actively addressing the wider systemic challenges inherent in primary care. Our efforts are centred on enhancing accessibility, improving health equity, and, crucially, alleviating the administrative burdens for clinicians."
"Our technology aims to alleviate the administrative burden on healthcare professionals, enabling them to devote more time to patient care," Dr Graham Denyer, Tends Chief Medical Officer added. "Following the launch of our app's test results feature, we've seen a 59% reduction in clinicians' time spent informing patients of their results."
Another cornerstone priority for Tend is the commitment to health equity which has seen a significant ethnic shift in enrolments following integration of a medical centre into Tend. The share of new Māori enrolments have more than doubled and for Pasifika it has increased seven times more than the existing patient cohort"
"Tend Health is committed to using our technology to improve health equity and enhance healthcare accessibility, particularly in underserved communities and rural areas," stated Robinson.
Tend is also showcasing the potential for shorter wait times, both in-person and online. Dr. Denyer highlighted the efficiency of Tend's digital healthcare services, which make up 35% of all consultations. The "Online Now" urgent care service has transformed consultation access, offering virtual appointments with an average wait time of just 2.4 hours.
Dr. Denyer elaborated on the initiative's goal to ensure prompt healthcare access and lessen the burden on urgent care centres and A&E departments for conditions that can be effectively managed online. "Our prompt access approach allows patients to receive care swiftly, with 95% of patients stating that their needs were met through this channel," he said.
"Our commitment to delivering the best healthcare experiences is at the very heart of what we do. We believe healthcare should be equitable, accessible, and designed for you and your whānau," Robinson concluded, “We hope that the planned reopening of Pāpāmoa, coupled with the integration of Chadwick Healthcare Group in the Bay of Plenty, offers hope to the local community”.