Dr Rebecca Grainger, Consultant Rheumatologist Hutt Valley DHB Associate Professor University of Otago Wellington
Dr Grainger started her presentation by asking us all the two questions below:
- What does Empowerment mean to each one of us ?
- What aspects of Empowerment do you want to hear about ?
Dr Grainger then put up the slide below, I refer to it as the 5 E’s.
5 Es of Empowerment
- Education: patients can make informed decisions about their health if they are able to access all the relevant information, in an easily understandable format.
- Expertise: patients self-manage their condition every day so they have a unique expertise on healthcare which needs to be supported.
- Equality: patients need support to become equal partners with health professionals in the management of their condition.
- Experience: individual patients work with patient organisations to represent them, and channel their experience and collective voice.
- Engagement: patients need to be involved in designing more effective healthcare for all, and in research to deliver new and better treatments and service
Education
Patients can make informed decisions about their health if they are able to access all the relevant information, in an easily understandable format.
Dr Grainger talked about using the Health Navigator website: https://www.healthnavigator.org.nz
The Heath Navigator website is for New Zealanders and New Zealand Practitioners.
General Health Information
The website states “You need to have confidence that you can trust the information you are receiving online. This is why we go to great lengths to ensure our website provides you with the reliable, New Zealand-focused health information you are seeking. “
Your Health Information
Dr Grainger, mentioned that we need to ask our General Practice if they use the Health Navigator Portal called “Manage My Health” for their patient file – if not, ask them why not, and suggest they should consider using it. Members who have a General Practice offering “Manage My Health” should ask practice staff how they can access it.
Manage My Health Portal
Benefits for patients:
Manage My Health, allows members to access their file, history and medications. They can send emails to their practice and ask for prescription repeats. They can also see results to all their tests.
Expertise
Patients self-manage their condition every day so they have a unique expertise on healthcare which needs to be supported.
Expertise Patients self-manage their condition every day so they have a unique expertise on healthcare which needs to be supported. Arthritis New Zealand runs Self-Management courses. Dr Grainger asked us all to state what was our important “Self-Management is” – each one of us said a different thing. Mine was – “time for myself” In the Health Navigator there is a link to download My Tool Kit or you can order copies by contacting the HN team.
Equality
Patients need support to become equal partners with health professionals in the management of their condition.
Dr Grainger said that we should take better care by following the Four steps for our next health care visit:
Experience
Individual patients work with patient organisations to represent them, and channel their experience and collective voice.
Engagement
Patients need to be involved in designing more effective healthcare for all, and in research to deliver new and better treatments and services