Healthcare cooperative ProCare Health has teamed up with the University of Auckland and the University of Otago to conduct a long-term study to determine the impact of multiple morbidities on the risk of hospitalisation or death from cardiovascular diseases.

Funded by the Health Research Council of New Zealand, the three-year study commenced in January. The 2014 ProCare Adult Cohort Study involves patients over the age of 18 who are enrolled in a ProCare practice since the first quarter of 2014.

It anonymises patient data of over 550,000 people; these data are linked with the TestSafe repository of blood test results and national health databases on hospitalisations, deaths and community pharmacy dispensing.

The data set will enable researchers to anonymously track patients over time and look back between five and 10 years for history of long-term conditions.

WHY IT MATTERS

The study brings together both primary and secondary care data on long-term conditions. According to a press release, the research team intends to "identify the true burden of cardiovascular disease and other major health conditions in the community as opposed to just that which is identified via hospitalisation records alone".

One in four New Zealand residents has two or more chronic conditions, which typically occur 10-15 years earlier for Māori, Pasifika and other high needs populations, according to Sue Wells, the study's principal investigator and professor at the University of Auckland.

"These populations are also at greater risk of having a heart attack or stroke, yet our current primary care guidelines do not provide sufficient advice on how to assess cardiovascular disease risk and care for people with a combination of health conditions," she added.

The study will investigate the possible pitfalls of having too many medications and point out areas for intervention in treatments for the best health outcomes. "We know that with the right treatment at the right time, someone’s risk of cardiovascular disease hospitalisation or death can be reduced by around 50%," Wells claimed.

Moreover, the study will ascertain whether treatments, such as heart disease prevention medications, are prescribed and what medications are being dispensed at community pharmacies.

ProCare Clinical Director Allan Moffitt, who also co-leads the study, said the co-payment for medications may hamper patients from getting their prescribed medicines filled, leading to poor health outcomes for some people.

THE LARGER TREND

In November last year, Taiwanese digital health platform Health2Sync partnered with DAIKYO ASTAGE to provide chronic health management services to residents of the property firm's apartments in Japan.

In 2019, Singapore-based health startup WhiteCoat teamed up with caregiving services platform Homage in piloting a telehealth programme that intends to improve the management of long-term health conditions among the elderly.

ON THE RECORD

"This study has the potential to save lives and reduce hospitalisations, which will reduce the overall burden on our health system. With Māori and Pacific people being disproportionately affected by long-term health conditions, it is hoped the outcomes of this study will also inform public policy changes that can be made to address inequities – a goal for all of us working with high-risk and vulnerable communities," ProCare CEO Bindi Norwell said.