Dr Connected

Aim: to address NZ’s low referral and attendance rates for rehabilitation programmes for people with multiple long-term conditions (LTCs), such as diabetes, heart failure, arthritis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Problem: current focus is too much on the biological aspects of their diseases, and don’t include all the aspects of wellbeing that are important for improving health.

Solution: Rather than developing new disease-specific interventions, we’ll work together with communities to develop and trial initiatives that help people with multiple LTCs access community support, increase their sense of connectedness within their community, improve physical activity, and thus live lives they feel are fulfilling and worthwhile.