Projects Preventing heart attacks Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in New Zealand (approximately one person dies every 90 minutes as a result of heart disease) accounting for 40% of all deaths annually (approximately 10,500 people). But thankfully, most heart attacks and strokes are preventable if the disease is identified and remedial steps taken. Identifying CVD is a primary focus of the Hauora Taranaki Bus service when visiting isolated or rural communities. During these visits, the Registered Nurse onboard will conduct screening tests for CVD, and assist in lifestyle changes for the individual around diet, exercise and harmful habits. Bold promise Meanwhile, at a GP level, Hauora Taranaki has its Bold Promise cardiovascular risk assessment programme whereby participating practices have been supplied with a compre-hensive set of software "tools" to assist with ascertaining a person's risk of having a heart attack in the next five years. Hauroa Taranaki has worked closely with practices in order to implement the new software and the results have been impressive with the first quarter of the pilot seeing a 6.7% increase in risk assessments done. Don't forget to ask your general practice team about how you can get your heart health check done. How we are improving the quality of our care for you With 18 practices seeing thousands of patients each year, Hauora Taranaki has initiated a significant drive to confirm the quality of care provided to patients. Called CORNERSTONEª, this quality improvement programme takes a holistic approach for the whole practice to self assess, analyse gaps and take action to identify and manage criteria that pose risk to staff and patients. This assessment tool is recommended by the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners, and enables practices within the Hauora Taranaki PHO network to validate the quality of their care and internal practices. Bed-wetting: There is a solution Bed-wetting can be an extremely embarrassing and frustrating issue for children - but a new training programme is being introduced by Hauora Taranaki which will be of great help. Urinary incontinence or enuresis is the medical term for bed-wetting in children who haven't developed bladder control. Generally speaking, girls develop bladder control before boys do. By the age of 5, 15% of children are wet at night - and this percentage drops to 5% by the age of 10, and 1% by the age of 15. To help patients overcome bed-wetting, Hauora Taranaki developed a training and resource programme earlier this year in partnership with the Taranaki District Health Board. Part of the resource is a bed wetting alarm which detects moisture and wakes the child up so they can go to the toilet normally. Battling diabetes In 2004 the PHO identified the early detection and treatment of patients with diabetes or at risk of developing diabetes as a significant strategy to improve the health of the Taranaki community. Since that time any patient identified with an Impaired Glucose Tolerance Tests, Impaired Fasting Glycaemia and those that have had gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy) are offered lifestyle modification choices and treatment on a regular basis free, with the aim of slowing both the diabetes and also associated cardiovascular and renal complications. Data collected for the 12 month period to June 30th 2007 showed a total of 126 newly diagnosed diabetes patients, and 197 at risk of diabetes diagnosis. A further 388 patients received assessment of high risk factors for heart disease and strokes - and were given life style advice as a strategy of reducing the onset of diabetes. The Ministry of Health has commented that the review analysis results are among the best in the country. To continue the momentum of identifying patients at risk of diabetes, Hauora Taranaki's clinical team is actively supporting the education and training of practice nurses in all areas of Chronic Disease Management and diabetes and cardiovascular disease management in particular. This will allow each Hauora Taranaki practice to have at least one Lead Diabetes /Cardiovascular Nurse by the completion of the 2007 - 2008 year. Catch a bus for a healthy life! While most health experts advise plenty of exercise to improve your health - one alternative is to catch a bus - the Hauora Taranaki Mobile Health Bus! This customised bus went into service in mid-2005 so Hauora Taranaki could reach isolated communities and individuals who have little access to medical services. Its first 2 years of operation has been more than successful - it has been lifesaving on more than one occasion. Staffed by a Project Coordinator /Driver and a highly experienced Registered Nurse, the focus of some of the bus visits are specific screening days run in conjunction with national awareness campaigns about health issues such as heart disease, breast or prostate cancer, diabetes and arthritis. In addition, the bus nurse has proved to be an invaluable support service in administering influenza vaccinations. With the client's consent, all data is electronically referred back to their local GP on the same day that the client visits the bus. Patients are then encouraged to see their GP for follow up on their particular health condition. You can find out when the bus is visiting your area by: - Asking your local GP - Checking the community notices in your local newspaper - Phoning Hauora Taranaki PHO on: (06) 759 4364