Data is key to Health Quality & Safety Commission and National Hauora Coalition collaboration partnership for...
The Health Quality & Safety Commission (the Commission) and National Hauora Coalition (NHC) have signed a tūtohinga mahi-ngātahitanga (collaboration partnership) for the Commission to contribute to data management, analysis and reporting for a pro-equity project designed to give pēpī Māori (Māori babies) the best start in life. This will enable real-time monitoring of data, providing transparency over whether the project is delivering equitable outcomes for pēpī and their mothers.
Generation 2040 (Gen2040), led by NHC, recognises that primary care is not performing equitably, citing, for instance, that Māori tamariki are more likely than non-Māori to experience avoidable hospitalisations. The project’s vision is that in 2040, the bicentennial of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the hallmarks and determinants of inequities are significantly reduced or eliminated for whānau throughout Aotearoa.
To deliver this, Gen2040 is rolling out Best Start Kōwae, a suite of smart assessment tools for use at significant points across the pregnancy and postpartum journey. The tools are designed to improve the quality of and access to health care entitlements for pregnant mothers and babies.
The first tool launched in May, Best Start - Pregnancy, is an assessment tool for midwives, general practitioners, nurse practitioners and practice nurses to use in early pregnancy. The tool will connect to practice management systems, support the identification of hapū māmā (pregnant mothers), build each practice’s pregnancy register and systematise the comprehensive assessment and referral for the first maternal antenatal consultation.
The Commission’s director health quality intelligence, Richard Hamblin, says the Commission will analyse real-time, secure, anonymised data for the project.
‘This will allow us to better understand things like different patterns in treatments received, risk factors for poor outcomes and how other factors relevant to Gen2040’s vision, such as quality of housing, are making a difference in achieving change.
‘This collaboration partnership recognises and respects the principles of the Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the Commission is delighted to be using its analytic capability to better understand and support Gen2040’s fundamental equity mahi. We look forward to working with NHC on this project.’
NHC clinical director, Dr Rawiri McKree Jansen, has strongly encouraged all primary and maternity care providers to use the tools.
‘Data and understanding the data is a key to this project. We’re keen to see these smart tools used across Aotearoa, New Zealand. It will provide those who use them access to the Commission’s analytic tool and help them to understand what’s happening with their patients.’
‘This work will help highlight other areas of focus that are important for quality improvement, for example, referrals follow up or perinatal mental health.’