Dr Prabani Wood: Better health starts with better data

After over 16 years as a GP, I can tell you what keeps me up at night. It is not the long hours or the difficult diagnoses. It is wondering how much of a difference the care I provide makes for my patients.

I know my patients well. I know their histories, their families, their struggles. But I cannot tell you with confidence how many patients I have prevented from attending the emergency department or being admitted to hospital. I am unsure how my referral patterns compare to those of my colleagues.

This is not just my problem. It is New Zealand’s problem.