Better Health and Tend partner to be at the forefront of primary healthcare innovation

Better Health Limited and Tend Health, a Kiwi-owned primary healthcare provider and technology company, are partnering to provide innovative healthcare services throughout the South Island.

The partnership between Better Health Limited and Tend will encompass 14 medical centres with more than 90,000 patients across Christchurch, North Canterbury and the lower South Island. Tend also operates three medical centres across Auckland including Kingsland, central city and Pakuranga.

As part of this integration, Tend will introduce its innovative model of care, technology and consumer-facing brand to build an operational model which ensures patients have access to healthcare wherever they are when they need it.

Better Health Limited’s Co-Founder and Medical Director, Dr Graham McGeoch, says he is excited about working with the team at Tend.

“Tend was one of many companies interested in partnering with Better Health and this partnership is the right one because the organisations’ vision, values and long-term thinking align.

“In a challenging healthcare landscape, we feel that Tend’s strategy, capabilities and vision for the future stand-out. We’re excited about the opportunity with Tend to lift health equity and improve access to healthcare in the South Island – especially for people living rurally, with disabilities or in underserved communities.”

Tend Co-CEO, Cecilia Robinson says the deal is a milestone. “In addition to our world-class app and technology platform, we’re building a network of clinics across Aotearoa. The partnership with Better Health is a big step towards our goal to give Kiwis seamless and complete healthcare online or in person, wherever they are.

We’re excited about what this partnership means for those living in the South Island, and helping Kiwis become the healthiest people in the world.”

Tend is experiencing a surge of interest from GPs throughout New Zealand looking for opportunities to partner. Robinson puts this down to a focus on not only creating a more modern, convenient patient experience, but also improving the clinical experience as well.

“Our health workforce is stretched. Tend is bringing a new way of thinking and building technology alongside clinicians to help reduce the administrative burden and better support our doctors and nurses to spend more time interacting with patients, working from home or in the clinic,” says Robinson.

In addition to a significant network of medical practices across the South Island, Better Health also provides management services and succession planning for medical practices – including practice management and administration, payroll and accounting services, human resources, and recruitment.

David Jones, Co-Founder and CEO of Better Health Limited says, “We are a group of like-minded people who work in partnership to sustain and grow the best of independent general practice. It’s encouraging to know we are working with another Kiwi-owned company that shares similar values to our own.

“A key goal of ours is helping our GPs manage their succession planning. With the backing of Tend, we’re ensuring the GPs who work with us can successfully plan for the future of their practices.”

“Tend’s digital capabilities will open a lot of doors, enabling our clinicians and patients access to technology and the ability to connect virtually, changing the way they think about healthcare.”

Through the partnership, Tend will become a 50% shareholder in Better Health. Tend integration will occur at select clinics across the Better Health group over time, and will be a managed process in partnership with the respective medical practices.