Education

Prescribers are instrumental in framing a medicine positively or negatively, setting patient expectations. Optimising these expectations during a short consult can enhance and sustain benefits. Conversely, highlighting negative information may lead to increased experience, and reporting, of adverse events, and to poor adherence.

Episode three of our Legendary Conversations podcast is out now! Listen to three experts as they discuss attitudes towards gout and how to better communicate with patients to improve gout outcomes. 

From 1 December 2021 rosuvastatin will be fully funded, subject to Special Authority criteria, for people at increased risk of cardiovascular complications due to high cholesterol. In addition, Māori and Pacific peoples with raised CVD risk may access rosuvastatin as first-line treatment, and a waiver process is available to patients already self-funding the medicine. 

Episode two of our Legendary Conversations podcast is out now! Listen to a scripted discussion that uses the ABC Health Literacy model when talking with a patient about starting a new medicine.

The jury is in – usual gout care isn’t working well, especially for Māori and Pacific peoples, who are disproportionately affected by this common disorder.

What potential tools are readily available to reduce gout harm? Specific clinician actions!  

Read the bulletin here.

Looking for up-to-date information on gout? You can find it here!

We’ve linked resources from multiple providers into one place so it’s easy for you to find what you need.

Following on from presentations in February, this new resource covers discussions from webinars held in August 2021.

The content has been edited, and reviewed by Waikato DHB endocrinologist/diabetologist Dr Ryan Paul.

We recommend using Google Chrome when accessing this resource. You may experience technical difficulties on other internet browsers.

Introducing Legendary Conversations, our podcast series that explores aspects of primary care in Aotearoa New Zealand. In episode one (part 1), we talk with Professor Keith Petrie about the psychological effects of taking medicines, and what primary healthcare professionals need to know. 

Linda Bryant discusses gout, a chronic long-term condition that is often associated with other diseases, and with drug-related morbidity and mortality. As such, it needs to be addressed holistically as part of the psychosocial medical model.

Biological medicines have markedly changed prognoses for many conditions such as cancers, diabetes and autoimmune diseases.  

As biologics’ patents expire, biosimilars – highly similar versions of approved biologic brands – will be competitively marketed. This will lead to cost savings, increased access and treatment options, and improved patient outcomes.²

Read the HAH Bulletin to find out more.

Patients can no longer be started on funded selegiline. Patients who were on selegiline prior to 1 August 2021 will need their prescriptions endorsed to receive subsidised supplies. An alternative MAO-B inhibitor, rasagiline, may be a suitable agent for new patients or those transitioning from selegiline.

This resource provides a timeline for the changes and information about transitioning patients from selegiline. Advice on prescribing rasagiline is also included.

In this webinar, Dr Ryan Paul discusses the newly-funded type 2 diabetes medication dulaglutide, and provides advice on when and how to use it.