Are you ready? with Leigh Elder

Digital health care looks set to grow exponentially over the next few years. With two thirds of kiwis using smartphones for a wide range of activities like booking travel, parking, and online shopping, the move to digital health care looks a dead cert.

Around 170 GP practices already use an online platform like www.managemyhealth.co.nz for their patients. Using a log-in, patients can access and self-manage their medical records, book appointments and blood-tests, and even chat to their GP online.

Our team are currently working with 17 local pre and type 2 diabetics. The emphasis on this three-month wellness challenge and study is for the participants to take ownership and largely self-manage their health. They are tackling various challenges with great enthusiasm and the results are shining through. If they all had access to a patient portal, this would greatly enhance the experience.

The end goal for participants in the study is to improve or reverse their diabetic condition, and our focus is on getting their nutrition needs right and them becoming more mindfully active.

Although their insulin sensitivity is improving, often other areas need attention. One of these is thyroid function, as people with the best will in the world will struggle to lose weight if they have an underactive thyroid.

Experts like Dr Libby have a different view of what the optimum levels of thyroid function should be when compared to the standard, normal range tables. We side with Dr Libby on this, and in my next column will look at this on-going debate. Our free consultation, courtesy of New World Mount is still available – email leigh@eatforkeeps.com or phone 027 294 1980.