Vensa Health Gets Ministry Grant

23/06/2011

Text reminder company Vensa Health has received a $252,000 funding boost to upgrade its service.

Text reminder company Vensa Health has received a $252,000 funding boost to upgrade its service.

The grant, from the Ministry of Science and Innovation, will be used to upgrade the current Txt2Remind system used in primary care and to roll out a new system for hospital outpatient services.

The programme sends patients a text message reminder for upcoming appointments, immunisations, vaccines or cervical smears.

Vensa Health also received $30,000 from the ministry to kick-start the project in 2009.

Approximately 500 practices from around the country use Txt2Remind, and Vensa chief executive Ahmad Jubbawey says the Auckland-based company is looking to add another 300 practices.

Raukura Hauora O Tainui, a Maori health provider in Waikato, has been using the system in five of its practices since January 2010.

Clinical coordinator Nikki Clarke says the practices, Enderly Park Medical Clinic, Nawton Medical Clinic, Nga Miro Medical Clinic, Waahi Medical Clinic and Templeview Medical Clinic, have noticed the number of patients missing appointments has decreased.

Immunisation rates for under two-year-olds across those practices have increased on average from 55 per cent before implementing the service to 98 per cent after 15 months of use.