Fiona Cassie

New Zealand

Southern Correspondent at New Zealand Doctor

Journalist. Specialising in health, science and whatever else takes my fancy.

Featured in: Favicon

nzdoctor.co.nz Favicon

pharmacytoday.co.nz

Articles

Listen to the community, says King’s honouree

3 days ago | nzdoctor.co.nz | Fiona Cassie

+News King’s Birthday Honours Listen to the community, says King’s honouree Hauora Māori will not be pushed back in time, says newly minted member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, Hariata Vercoe of Rotorua [Image: Supplied, Joshville on Wikimedia] Essentials Hariata Vercoe, awarded a New Zealand Order of Merit, champions the idea that communities know their own needs best – the role of, READ MORE Kia ora and welcome to New Zealand Doctor Rata Aotearoa Not a subscriber? Unlock this article...
Rural network’s kaumātua honoured for six decades’ service to Māori

3 days ago | nzdoctor.co.nz | Fiona Cassie

+News King’s Birthday Honours Rural network’s kaumātua honoured for six decades’ service to Māori Recently retired kaumātua for Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network, Bill Nathan, was honoured for his service to Māori in the King’s Birthday Honours [Image: Supplied] The kaumātua who helped guide Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network’s bicultural partnership has been honoured for his six decades of service to Māori Kia ora and welcome to New Zealand Doctor Rata Aotearoa Not a subscriber?...
Total Healthcare continues monumental growth

3 days ago | nzdoctor.co.nz | Fiona Cassie |Stephen Forbes |Martin Johnston

+News In print Total Healthcare continues monumental growth There are currently 14 employed Healthcare technicians in Tāmaki Health clinics in the Auckland Total Healthcare network [Image: AR on Unsplash] Total Healthcare continued to grow in 2024, and chief executive Mark Vella says it now has over 280,000 patients on its books. According to the PHO Kia ora and welcome to New Zealand Doctor Rata Aotearoa Not a subscriber? Unlock this article by subscribing here.
Budget’s 12-month scripts carry potential for wastage and climate-change impact

4 days ago | pharmacytoday.co.nz | Jonathan Chilton-Towle |Fiona Cassie |Jody Hopkinson

Academic pharmacist Nataly Martini discusses the medical management of asthma in adults and adolescents, which has evolved to prioritise early anti-inflammatory treatment. She also explains how to improve patient outcomes by proactively identifying poor asthma control and supporting equitable access to education and treatment
Helpful Heidi AI gets doctors out from behind their screens

4 days ago | nzdoctor.co.nz | Patrice Dougan |Stephen Forbes |Barbara Fountain |Fiona Cassie

+News In print Helpful Heidi AI gets doctors out from behind their screens Heidi transcriptions can be turned into clinical documents – such as a GP note or referral [Image: Suriphon Singha on iStock] As AI gains ground in various workplaces, the array of new software can be confusing.
Help! I’m drowning in tick-box exercises and black-hole dreaming

1 week ago | nzdoctor.co.nz | Fiona Cassie |Zach Thompson |Orna McGinn

+Opinion In print Upfront Help! I’m drowning in tick-box exercises and black-hole dreaming GPs, who must juggle patient care with endless policy consultations, are frustrated by “tick-box” exercises that ignore clinical insight [Image: artisteer on iStock] As trust in health leadership erodes, it’s time for meaningful, bipartisan dialogue on New Zealand’s long-term health strategy, argues Orna McGinn Believing that clinical leadership depends on having “skin in the game”, I continue to see...
GP referrals rejected for 25 per cent of struggling young people

1 week ago | nzdoctor.co.nz | Stephen Forbes |Fiona Cassie

+News GP referrals rejected for 25 per cent of struggling young people A lack of specialist mental health services is driving the shocking rejection rate of GP referrals of young people, believes RNZCGP medical director Luke Bradford [Image: Leeloo The First on Pexels] Essentials Nearly 25 per cent of GP referrals for people aged under-19 years to specialist mental health and addiction services are declined., READ MORE Kia ora and welcome to New Zealand Doctor Rata Aotearoa Not a subscriber?...
Successful Tokoroa diabetes hub short-lived as funding ends soon

1 week ago | nzdoctor.co.nz | Fiona Cassie |Martin Johnston |Jonathan Chilton-Towle

+News In print Successful Tokoroa diabetes hub short-lived as funding ends soon Pinnacle clinical diabetes specialist Kathy Knight and South Waikato Pacific Islands Community Service chief executive Akarere Henry [Image: NZD] Essentials A diabetes-focused hub using Comprehensive Primary Care Team funding opened in August in Tokoroa. The standalone collabo, READ MORE Kia ora and welcome to New Zealand Doctor Rata Aotearoa Not a subscriber?
Only 4% of recent Kiwi medical graduates are working rurally

1 week ago | nzdoctor.co.nz | Fiona Cassie

For older people and frail people, the long-term benefit of medicines reduces and the potential for harm from adverse effects increases. When the benefit–risk balance changes in this way, medicine review and optimisation are important to simplify the therapeutic regimen, reduce inappropriate medicines and minimise risks. In this article, pharmacist prescriber Linda Bryant uses two case studies to illustrate important considerations during medicine reviews
A few words from... Paula Rigor

1 week ago | nzdoctor.co.nz | Fiona Cassie

+Print Archive Upfront A few words from... Paula Rigor Paula Rigor celebrating her birthday last year at the Eiffel Tower [Image: Supplied] Paula Rigor is a keen traveller and urgent-care specialist who works for the Hamilton-based Tui Medical group of general practices and urgent-care centres.