Kia ora! Our team at Queen Street Doctors is committed to improving the care we provide through regular quality improvement projects.
Our latest project focused on gout, the most common form of inflammatory arthritis. Gout is caused by a build-up of uric acid crystals in the joints and can lead to painful flare-ups, swelling, long-term joint damage and disability, if not well controlled. It is more common in Māori and Pacific peoples, partly due to genetic factors that make it harder for the body to remove uric acid naturally.
Our project focused on improving the use of allopurinol, a medication used to lower uric acid levels and prevent gout attacks. We also reviewed our prescribing practices and monitoring of uric acid levels.
After introducing improved patient recall and follow-up systems, we saw significant improvements in the number of patients reaching recommended uric acid targets. Among Māori patients, rates improved from 25% to 100%, and among Pacific patients from 50% to 75%. Overall, the proportion of patients meeting treatment targets increased from 63.5% to 72%.
If you would like more information about gout, please visit Healthify NZ. Or if you would like to know the project or would like to make suggestions, please let any of our friendly staff know.
