Te Aka Whai Ora has invested $2.3 million into four whānau-led pilots in remote rural areas to test the effectiveness of remote patient monitoring (RPM) in achieving improved hauora outcomes and reduced rates of hospitalisation and visits to emergency departments for whānau living with long term conditions.

Te Aka Whai Ora is working alongside Te Whatu Ora to support hauora Māori partners based in Te Tai Tokerau, Te Tairāwhiti and Wharekauri to deliver the whānau-led pilots. Te Aka Whai Ora is funding the service delivery costs, and Te Whatu Ora is providing remote patient monitoring devices and supporting technology.

Jade Sewell, Maiaka Tau Piringa, Deputy Chief Executive – Service Development for Te Aka Whai Ora says the improved access to healthcare will support whānau manage their own health and wellbeing, and to be more involved in decisions about their own care.

“Te Aka Whai Ora is investing in te ao Māori approaches focused on prevention, screening, early diagnosis and self-management for whānau with long-term conditions such as diabetes, stroke, heart conditions and gout.

“Whānau-led remote patient monitoring provides a technological solution for improved access to healthcare where whānau manage and monitor their condition with a device and kaiāwhina support and to co-create and plan a response pathway with their health provider when they require clinical support.

“This is in line with the goals of Te Pae Tata Interim New Zealand Health Plan and the Rural Health Strategy, which are focused on improving health outcomes and improving equity in health,” Jade says.

Te Aka Whai Ora and Te Whatu Ora are co-leading workshops with hauora Māori partners and whānau to develop the remote patient monitoring model and provide training on how the devices work. Te Aka Whai Ora is committed to ensuring all parts of the pilots are designed with whānau.