Providing new models of care to small rural/deprived areas (where it isn’t possible to implement a physical Health Care Home

The following ideas were discussed at the Shifting Care Closer to Home Conference 

Reaching people who are underserved. How do we support, build new models of primary care in remote, rural areas where physical HCHs aren’t possible? How do we build new models of care not reliant on the current see and treat model. How do we work within private ownership?

Main points of the conversation/ emerging themes

• Funding models of extra capitation for HCH can lead to inequity to the smaller practices that can’t become HCH.
• Use of workforce to create entirely different models, virtual primary care hubs, use of nursing and pharmacy – shared roaming general practitioners.
• The impact of alliancing – top-down – DHBs influencing ownership models.

Ideas/questions for further discussion:

• What are the practicalities to establish Health Care Home across the system?
• Community virtual health practices: distributed GP model – a hub for the community.
• How to fund? Ownership? Step away from capitation – purchase the population health status/outcome.
• Technology – records and care planning – continuous notes.