The Primary Options Acute Demand Management Service (POADMS) supports Te Tai Tokerau primary care to provide safe, appropriate acute care in the community. By providing funding and resourcing for people to receive care in a community setting, rather than in hospital, it aims to reduce hospital presentations, shorten the length of stay, and prevent readmission to secondary care services. To ensure equitable access, POADMS maintains a strong focus on serving high deprivation populations, those living in quintile 5, Māori, Pacific peoples, older people and children.  

The Primary Options Acute Demand Management Service was developed from a joint investment between Northland District Health Board and Mahitahi Hauora. Since 1 July 2022, it has been fully funded by Te Whatu Ora. The service offers a single point of access for all clinicians and health providers across Te Tai Tokerau. The POADMS clinical coordination team works across both the primary and secondary sectors to develop relationships, communication and coordination between services. 

POADMS also provides clinical coordination of a range of other services.

What you can claim

For presentations claimable under POADMS and a schedule of set prices, please see the table below.

Patient eligibility

To receive a funded service the patient must meet the following criteria:

• The period of care is anticipated to completely resolve within 3 days or less.
• The anticipated total cost of the package of care will be under $300 or requires acceptance from POADMS Nurse Coordinator.
• Be eligible to receive publicly funded healthcare in New Zealand; and 
• The patient consents to being managed through POADMS; and
• The patient can be safely managed in the community with evidence based, best practice interventions; and
• The patient is experiencing an acute episode that, without intervention, would result in the patient being referred to hospital; or
• The patient’s treatment needs align with a service pathway for preventative intervention therapy through this programme.
• Is not covered under another funding stream – e.g. ACC, maternity.

Please refer to individual service information on the POADMS page in Northland HealthPathways for specific criteria. 

Referral

Patients must have a full clinical assessment to be referred to POADMS. There are a number of entry points, including general practice, urgent care clinics, and ambulance services. Once a patient is referred, all services in the package of care are free to the patient while they are acutely unwell (usually up to three days), except for the initial 15-minute consultation. 

Clinical responsibility

The initiating doctor/NP carries clinical responsibility for managing the patient’s care unless the clinical responsibility can be handed over to a colleague within the practice, to a clinician in an urgent care clinic, or to the patient’s registered GP.

The patient must be informed and agree that the information on the claim form and other information relating to the illness will be made available to the clinical co-ordination centre team and sub-contracted health care providers. 

The patient must also be informed and agree that they may be liable for costs if the claim is declined. 

More information

For more information about POADMS, please visit the POADMS page in Northland HealthPathways.

Click the links to view the session recording and presentation slides from our education session, ‘Getting the Best Out of POADMS’. To access the recording, you’ll need to enter the passcode: 4@1rMFe!

You can also contact the POADMS team:

POADMS Clinical Services Team
0800 PRIMARYOPS – Option 1
primaryops@mahitahihauora.co.nz

Kathrynn Wrightson
POADMS Clinical Nurse Coordinator
0800 PRIMARYOPS – Option 2
Kathrynn.wrightson@mahitahihauora.co.nz