The role of community health worker (CMW) has not always been accepted as a refutable and important role in New Zealand’s healthcare system. But as New Zealand grows and focuses more on integration and prevention many new roles have been introduced to stop fragmentation and encourage the co-operation and information sharing that will ultimately bring New Zealand to the top in terms of healthcare outcomes. A CMW is a person who is chosen by the local populace or by an agency which represents the populous such as an iwi to provide health care within their local district, ultimately this means that they work in and for their community. A CHW can work for a variety of different organisations within a community, an example would be a governmental
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A CHWs role within the DHB would be to promote a prevention or screening program and to actively encourage screening and health living to the population. But this is just one type of organisation others include: government agencies, non-for-profit organisations, charitable trusts, marae’s or other spiritual based organisations, schools, universities, community facilities or corrective services (Zestmedia Ltd and Counties Manukau District Health Board [DHB], 2012).
CHWs working within an organisation have many essential roles examples of these roles could include: establishing a supportive relationship with patients and their families in encouraging active engagement in their own health care, assisting with the scheduling of appointments, collaborating with the team to help patients with understanding care plans and self-care management goals, communication to clinical coordinators or team leaders to report any patient issues and ensuring coordination of care, appropriately referring patients to other members of the team, collaborating with …show more content…
This sort of unorganised care is often referred to as fragmentation. (Cumming, J., 2011) Fragmentation is often costly for both the health care organisations and for the patients as the amount of money spent on treating an increasingly sick person is a lot higher than the amount it costs to call for a follow up appointment or informing a patient of their relative risks. The role of CHW has and will continue benefiting and collaborating the health professionals and local community. Integration involves multiple providers, services, organisations, prevention programmes, along with monitoring health status, supporting and encouraging families. Integration can only occur if the whole of the health workforce interrelates their areas of care by protecting the health of a population that is at risk, by developing interventions that target at risk patients or families, by helping to manage a condition and avoiding the onset of other conditions and by providing intensive care (Kodner, D. L., & Spreeuwenberg, C., 2002). In the international journal of integrated care it states that there are three different level of integration – micro, meso and macro. The micro level – activities encourage integration between individuals working
A CHWs role within the DHB would be to promote a prevention or screening program and to actively encourage screening and health living to the population. But this is just one type of organisation others include: government agencies, non-for-profit organisations, charitable trusts, marae’s or other spiritual based organisations, schools, universities, community facilities or corrective services (Zestmedia Ltd and Counties Manukau District Health Board [DHB], 2012).
CHWs working within an organisation have many essential roles examples of these roles could include: establishing a supportive relationship with patients and their families in encouraging active engagement in their own health care, assisting with the scheduling of appointments, collaborating with the team to help patients with understanding care plans and self-care management goals, communication to clinical coordinators or team leaders to report any patient issues and ensuring coordination of care, appropriately referring patients to other members of the team, collaborating with …show more content…
This sort of unorganised care is often referred to as fragmentation. (Cumming, J., 2011) Fragmentation is often costly for both the health care organisations and for the patients as the amount of money spent on treating an increasingly sick person is a lot higher than the amount it costs to call for a follow up appointment or informing a patient of their relative risks. The role of CHW has and will continue benefiting and collaborating the health professionals and local community. Integration involves multiple providers, services, organisations, prevention programmes, along with monitoring health status, supporting and encouraging families. Integration can only occur if the whole of the health workforce interrelates their areas of care by protecting the health of a population that is at risk, by developing interventions that target at risk patients or families, by helping to manage a condition and avoiding the onset of other conditions and by providing intensive care (Kodner, D. L., & Spreeuwenberg, C., 2002). In the international journal of integrated care it states that there are three different level of integration – micro, meso and macro. The micro level – activities encourage integration between individuals working