Introducing Practice Plus: virtual health delivery

• You promote this service to your patients, in person, on the phone and on your website.
• Patients make their own bookings online, via a link on your practice website or patient portal.
• The patient pays at the time of booking using a secure payment gateway with credit or debit card – CSC discount applies. (There is no clawback or utilisation fee for you.)
• Bookings include a request for information on the reason for consult to allow prework/triage.
• Online secure consultations can be by phone or video depending on the patient’s choice. 
• Key to the service is the Practice Plus GP will be able to see the patients Shared Electronic Health Record, helping them to act as part of your extended team (informational continuity of care).
• Naturally, the notes from the virtual GP consult are sent back to your practice.
• The virtual GP can order lab tests, radiological investigations, prescribe medications in each local area, as if they worked in the local practice.
• Prescriptions can be dispensed centrally and couriered or dispensed at a local pharmacy depending on the patient’s choice.

Practice Plus is now able to offer in-hours virtual locum support for dedicated practices, where capacity is low due to staff sickness, or planned/un-planned leave. For more information contact the Practice Plus team.
 
Practice Plus provides telehealth (both video and phone) consultations to provide episodic after-hours care for patients, placed as an extension to general practice. If practices are lacking capacity, they have a trusted partner to refer patients through.

Practice Plus continues to have capacity to review patients requesting same day appointments. To ensure patients are able to get timely access to care when appointment capacity is low, ensure all general practice team members are empowered when and how to refer patients to Practice Plus.

• Include Practice Plus in your morning stand up, and when communicating same day demand to your team.

"We have 20 urgent appointments available today. When they have been filled, the triage nurses should direct patients to Practice Plus."

• Upload text templates to your Patient Management System so the team can easily send instructions to the patient - (see below).
• Consider sending a mass portal/SMS campaign to patients preparing them for winter, and offering an option for same day and
  after hours consults - (see below).
• Try for yourself to see what steps are involved for patients. Register yourself on Practice Plus by visiting the website and enter your details and select an appointment time (don’t worry, the appointment won’t confirm until payment details have been entered).
• GPs, NPs and nurses – offer Practice Plus as an option for follow up of an acute issue (including over the weekend).

"This sounds like a viral illness, that will most likely resolve by itself. If you become more unwell over the weekend, you can go to
Practice Plus, it will connect you with a clinician who can help."

Practice Plus has recently launched a Manage My Health booking integration. This should be live for your practice - you can activate this functionality through the Manage My Health admin portal. The user guide is linked below. This allows patients to book appointments via Practice Plus if:

• all your practice appointments are full
• to book after hours appointments.

"Our next available in person appointment is xxx, otherwise would you like a phone or video consult today? We partner with Practice Plus, who can complete your appointment over phone or video.

Go to our medical centre website, you will see a Practice Plus logo. Click the link and it will take you through a simple online booking page, where you can select a time that works for you."

or

“Search for Practice Plus / visit practiceplus.nz. Click 'book appointment' and it will take you through a simple online booking page, where you can select a time that works for you.”

Frequently asked questions

How do I pay?
You can enter a Debit or Credit on the booking form.

How do I connect over video?
15 minutes prior to your appointment, you will receive a text and email with a link. At the appointment time, click the link to connect with the clinician. You do not need to download anything prior to the consult.

I don’t have a phone with video
No problem, on the final booking screen you can record that you would prefer a phone consultation. At the appointment time the clinician will call your number.

How do I add my CSC card?
After selecting Date and Time of appointment, the final page will include a section to add your CSC card details.

How do I book for a child?
On the booking page, first enter the adults details, and after selecting an appointment date and time, there will be a section to add the childs details.

Patient SMS/portal template

Send after triaging patient needing same day care

Book an appointment with Practice Plus for same day video or phone consult, thanks, [Practice name].

Practice-wide SMS/portal comms suggestion

Great news, we have a partnered telehealth service that connects you with a clinician on the same day through telephone or video from the comfort of your own home. If you or your whānau/family require a same day appointment this winter, including after hours and weekends, consider using Practice Plus. Thanks, [Practice name].

Winter brings increased demand, and Practice Plus has a range of services to help your practice manage the pressure. Their clinicians are available over public holidays and weekends to manage same-day urgent care needs, and your reception or triage team can book directly into their appointment books on behalf of patients. Practice Plus can issue prescriptions, arrange lab tests, and provide a consented copy of discharge notes within 24 hours, with safe handover to your practice when follow-up is needed. Patients can also book online at practiceplus.nz or through your patient portal.

Need extra capacity over winter? Practice Plus offers a virtual GP locum service, with clinicians accessing your PMS and consulting as part of your team to ensure continuity of care. They also offer dedicated inbox locum cover — giving your clinicians a genuine break, knowing their inboxes are being managed with care. Inbox management is available for individual or multiple practitioners and can be tailored to your practice's needs, including which inboxes are covered, session hours, and duration. Pricing starts from $175 per hour plus GST, with public holiday rates from $185 per hour plus GST from 1 May.

Get in touch at support@practiceplus.nz for more information.