Collinsville registered nurse Grace Paulson says chronic conditions are at the heart of health care due to their lasting impact on people’s health and wellbeing.

“Chronic diseases represent two-thirds of all deaths worldwide, and mental health conditions represent a significant component of the chronic disease burden,” Ms Paulson said. “Diabetes, heart disease, asthma, arthritis, and a host of other illnesses are chronic diseases that persist over the lifespans of patients.

“To ensure good health and to minimise complications or the development of new illnesses, patients with chronic conditions require ongoing management to maintain wellbeing.”

That’s why Ms Paulson and the Collinsville Family Practice are embracing Inca, becoming super users of the sophisticated shared-care technology platform to support their patients with complex and chronic health conditions.

“Understanding what makes us sick or keeps us healthy, what causes chronic diseases, how they’re managed, and the impact of chronic disease on the health of patients and populations is crucial to improving outcomes and addressing the burden of disease,” she said.  

This year, Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN) began the Inca expansion, funding access for all eligible general practices in North Queensland. It follows the initial introduction of the platform offered to health services participating in the First Nations Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) program.

NQPHN Chief Executive Officer Sean Rooney said Inca was one of the tools NQPHN had invested in to support general practices to enhance their team-based care and give patients a more seamless patient journey.

“Primary care providers deliver vital services for local communities in North Queensland and NQPHN is dedicated to developing initiatives to support them,” Mr Rooney said. 

“We are committed to providing additional resourcing to regional, rural, and remote general practices and primary care providers to ensure enhanced capacity, primary care sustainability, and reform readiness.”

Collinsville Family Practice has created more than 500 care documents since the team started utilising Inca in 2022, and more than 210 in the last 12 months.

“Inca has been a valuable addition to our healthcare workflow,” Ms Paulson said. “Its integrated care platform has greatly enhanced communication and coordination among our team members, leading to more efficient and effective patient care. The ability to access and update patient information in real-time has been particularly beneficial.

“Patients have better care coordination across care teams. They are reporting improvements in the efficiency of the care they receive and better access to allied health services.

“For the practice, we’ve been able to greatly simplify our workflows and increase efficiency by having all patient information in one place. We spend less printing and faxing, which gives us more time to devote to patient care.”

Ms Paulson said a 58-year-old patient had been struggling with multiple chronic conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, and coronary artery disease.

“Managing these conditions requires frequent visits to various specialists, regular monitoring of vital signs, and adherence to a complex medication regimen,” she said.

“Before implementing Inca, the patient often found himself frustrated by the lack of coordination between his allied healthcare providers. Each specialist seemed to have only partial information about his medical history and treatment plan, leading to redundant tests, conflicting advice, and occasional gaps in care.

“However, since our practice started using Inca, the patient's experience has dramatically improved.

“Now, all his medical records, test results, medication lists, and care plans are combined within the platform, accessible to his entire care team that uses Inca, and he can easily communicate and engage through secure messaging and shared notes.”

Ms Paulson said his providers could quickly identify potential interactions between his medications, adjust his treatment plan as needed, and monitor his progress more effectively.

Meanwhile, Barefoot Medical Whitsunday, in Cannonvale, is also reaping the benefits for their patients after implementing Inca.

Barefoot Medicine Whitsunday Practice Manager Bel Gater said Inca had streamlined the practice’s Team Care Arrangement (TCA) process.

A TCA is a plan prepared by a general practitioner for a patient with chronic conditions who would benefit from care that includes other allied health services.

“The feedback from patients and allied health providers has been good so far. The nursing team find it particularly useful in creating quick and succinct TCAs,” Mrs Gater said.

“The patients feel as if they are more involved in the process because they have a better understanding of their agreement, rather than it just being a tick-and-flick process.

“Inca streamlined this process for us and as more allied health providers get on board, we are finding it opens better lines of communication.”

NQPHN will continue to work closely with Inca developers Precedence Health Care and eligible general practices and health professionals to equip them to manage patient health data, create and monitor care plans, and share information digitally.