Practice Plus is a New Zealand telehealth service that connects patients with a clinician by video or phone, usually the same day. It was developed by a partnership of Primary Health Organisations to widen access to primary care, working as an extension of a patient's regular medical centre rather than a replacement for it.
Patients stay enrolled with their own practice, and with permission, notes from a Practice Plus appointment are sent back to the patient's regular clinician so their usual care team keeps the full picture of their health. Clinicians are experienced, registered GPs, urgent care specialists and nurse practitioners based across the motu (New Zealand), and depending on location can see a patient's shared health record, lab results and prescribing history.
Practice Plus is available from 8.30am, seven days a week, including evenings, weekends and public holidays. Each adult needs to book under their own account, though parents and guardians can book on behalf of their own children.
Practice Plus is a New Zealand telehealth service built to connect patients with a clinician by video or phone, usually on the same day. It was developed by a partnership of Primary Health Organisations with the aim of widening access to primary care, and operates as an extension of a patient's regular medical centre rather than as a stand-alone replacement for it.
A key part of how Practice Plus works is that patients stay enrolled with their own GP practice throughout. With the patient's permission, notes from a Practice Plus appointment are sent back to their regular clinician, so the patient's usual care team keeps a full picture of their health. For anything needing ongoing management or a physical examination, the patient's own practice remains the right place for care — Practice Plus does not enrol patients itself, and instead positions itself as extending the care people already have.
Clinicians on the platform are experienced, registered GPs, urgent care specialists and nurse practitioners based across the motu. Depending on where a patient lives, clinicians may be able to see their shared health record, lab results and prescribing history, allowing them to treat the patient as part of their wider care team. They can help with most everyday medical needs, order tests, make referrals, issue medical certificates and send prescriptions directly to a patient's pharmacy. When something needs to be seen in person, clinicians will point patients to the right service and connect them back with their regular practice.
The service is designed for situations where a patient needs care the same day, after hours, or when getting to their own practice is difficult. Practice Plus is available from 8.30am, seven days a week, including evenings, weekends and public holidays, giving patients options outside standard practice hours.
Each adult needs to book their own appointment under their own account rather than someone else's, though parents and guardians are able to book on behalf of their own children (tamariki). Appointments are booked online, with the service accessible via the Practice Plus website.
Alongside consultations, Practice Plus links patients to further health information through Healthify, including a Health A–Z with easy-to-read information on conditions, symptoms, prevention, self-care and treatment; a Medicines A–Z explaining how medicines work and how to take them; and Hauora Wellbeing, which explains the Māori view of health covering physical, mental, social and spiritual aspects of wellbeing that support one another.
Patients or those with questions about the service can reach Practice Plus on 0800 7722 7587 or by email at help@practiceplus.nz.