That means, where appropriate, a healthcare professional other than a GP – a nurse practitioner, a pharmacist, a physio – can deal with a patient.
Bulls Medical Centre GP Dr Kenneth Young says that approach should be encouraged, as “not all ails need a doctor and things can be triaged”.
Emergency departments are known to take a similar approach to high demand, with patients being redirected to other health providers where appropriate.
None of this is a bad thing, assuming patients get sufficient care.
In a health system where resources are scarce, expertise needs to be rationed and directed where most required.
But the risk is around triaging.
It should not be up to patients to decide what level of care they need.
A seemingly innocuous ailment could be the sign of something serious.
We don’t want to send a message that seeking a GP appointment or visiting the emergency department is a burden.
The risk is that something minor doesn’t get checked out and turns into something far more serious. At worst, life-threatening.
If we are going to look at using the health system as a whole – and we should – we must ensure it’s not up to the patient to make an uninformed decision about where to go.
That’s a decision for a qualified medical expert whose job is to get the person the best and required medical attention, not to relieve pressure on the system.
A team approach also can’t be used to mask the fact that we need to strengthen GPs and emergency departments in this country.
News that Waikato Medical School students will be placed in regions around the country will help with that.
Healthcare must adapt to the times.
But one thing that can’t change is patients getting the help they need in a timely manner.