Kia ora koutou, Please note this is an extended message about an article in the WBOP PHO Practice News 22/07/2020. If you have read the practice news article on “Axe the Fax” and do not require further information then you do not need to read this email. The Ministry of Health marked December 2020 as the deadline for the health sector to cease faxing. The BOP DHB are looking at alternatives to faxing and to support this we want to collect information from practices as an indication of how you currently use the fax machine. This will help the DHB to ensure that all communication types in general practice are taken into account when creating system wide solutions. Please print and share the attached information sheet and share with your team. What you need to do: Complete a spreadsheet to document your use of the fax. The type of fax is particularly useful as it will determine what solutions will be required. For example patient notes may need a different solution to invoices. We’ve put together a few options on how you can record this information, in the attached excel spreadsheet. Complete the spreadsheet electronically using the drop down menu (tab 1). You might do this at a team huddle. Collect the information by printing and writing on the spreadsheet (tab 2) – keep it next to the fax machine so that everyone can contribute There is also a tick box manual spreadsheet (tab 3), if this is more convenient. Alternatively if you are tech savvy, you may be able to print your fax log – but you will need to annotate what type of fax (e.g invoice, prescription etc) was sent or received next to each fax entry as this will not be recorded on the fax machine. It's important that all types of faxing are considered so please ensure that administrators, nurses and doctors contribute to the documentation. If there are any faxes you send on a monthly, quarterly or yearly basis please include these on your spreadsheet. Please complete the spreadsheet with your faxing information and return to me by 5 August 2020.
Ngā mihi nui,
Catherine Warren Quality Projects Lead
P: (07) 577 3267 M: (027) 223 2201 TĹŤngia te ururua, kia tupu whakaritorito te tupu o te harakeke