A practice-patient text messaging system is improving Maori lives in the Western Bay of Plenty.

The system delivers appointment reminders, immunisation and screening reminders, health advice, medication reminders and laboratory results direct to the patient.

Vensa Health's TXT2Remind system was installed for Maori enrolled in Te Manu Toroa Trust's GP clinics in December 2010 and in six months has reduced missed appointments by more than 50 per cent and improved patient response for recalls.

It has translated into improvements across the board including a marked increase in immunisations, says Vensa Health chief executive Ahmad Jubbawey.

'We know patients are more likely to turn up to appointments when receiving reminders via text message, particularly high needs groups who really benefit from the technology the most.

'The result is a marked increase in appointment attendance and an impressive increase in priority areas such as childhood immunisation.”

Te Manu Toroa Trust encompasses iwi in Tauranga, Te Puke and Maketu.

'We have an enrolled population that is viewed as hard to reach, so we knew we needed to do things differently to enable better access to healthcare, says the trusts acting manager Pat Cook.

'TXT2Remind is proving to be a great success particularly in increasing immunisation rates,” says Pat.

'Our rates were on average around 47 per cent before the introduction of the system and we were running at around 61 per cent after the first three months.

'The national average is 88 per cent so we're keen to keep using the system to help us make up ground quickly.”

As well as increasing immunisation for under two year olds, the system helps target the government's other priority health targets such as better diabetes and cardiovascular services, and improved access to elective surgery for hospitals.

This is the best method of reaching high needs people to ensure their health is improved, says Ahmad.

The text system helps lift performance across a wide range of scheduled interventions, procedures, and screening processes such as mammograms and cervical screening, that require systematic precall and recall.

Te Manu Toroa Trust has three GP clinics in the Western Bay of Plenty providing comprehensive, integrated community and Primary Health Care for iwi from Bowentown, Katikati, rural Tauranga, central Tauranga, upper and lower Kaimai, upper and lower Papamoa, Welcome Bay, Mount Maunganui, Arataki, Matakana Island, Matapihi, Manoeka, Waitaha, parts of Te Puke, Maketu, Pukehina and Otamarakau.