The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to better support both patients and general practitioners through a big overhaul of health sector funding and IT systems, Prof Robin Gauld says.
Given the Covid-19 challenge, New Zealand should not be having to face a "crisis" in the health system, including in delivering a reliable income to GPs, Prof Gauld, of the University of Otago, said yesterday.
Covid-19 had also clearly exposed big problems in New Zealand's health IT system, he said.
New Zealand should take a more efficient and patient-centred approach, and learn from Air New Zealand's expertise in developing its world-leading app for air travel services, he said.
However New Zealand's 20 district health boards and many other health structures had information systems that could not efficiently communicate with each other, and many patients could not navigate the system, and have their needs met.
By contrast with this "quite depressing" situation, Air New Zealand had done a "phenomenal job" and its app empowered its clients to do many things in real time.
Prof Gauld, who is co-director of the Otago Centre for Health Systems and Technology, says the national airline’s expertise should be used to improve health sector IT.
Covid-19 had caused a shift to online and phone consultations in general practices with few patients seen in-person.
However, a drastic income drop for many GPs, because fewer patients were billed, meant it was time to move towards a salaried system for at least some of the country’s GPs, most of whom were self-employed.
Prof Gauld, who is also dean of the Otago Business School, said the Government should consider full capitation for GPs, on an opt-in basis, which would take away patient charges, and enable patients to be consulted in the most appropriate way.