A warm welcome to the Millhouse Community and to other readers. How are you coping this winter?
Since returning from holiday this month I have seen a number of children with recurrent respiratory infections. I strongly recommend supplementing them with vitamin D daily to stimulate a stronger immune response to help resist infection. Ask your family doctor for a prescription.
The Ministry of Health reported on August 2 there had been 441 confirmed measles cases, of which 175 had been hospitalised. At least 60% had not been vaccinated. Regionally the highest number were in South Auckland close to us. On the 10 August the NZ Herald highlighted that the McLeans College principal had advised unvaccinated students to stay away from school as some pupils had measles.
Ensure your child or student has received the measles vaccination.

Please don't send your children to school or preschool when they are unwell, so they may communicate disease to others, and are more susceptible to infection. Keep them at home till they recover. Make sure they have quality sleep (see article below), eat wholesome food (try and sneak in turmeric and other spices) and consider supplementing with zinc, vitamin A, D & C to improve resistance. Remember to avoid high sugar food and drinks which lower immune response and increase vulnerability to illness.

MILLHOUSE NEWS - new Medical computer software for improved service

Currently we are updating our computer hardware and changing to MedTech's improved Evolution management system for clinical notes and practice administration.
We are also improving our patient portal, changing from ConnectMed appointment system to MedTech's companion programme ManageMyHealth, which allows access to your medical records at any time. Please contact reception on how to register with ManageMyHealth if you have not already received advice by email. It will be necessary for you to have your own email address and date of birth recorded accurately in the patient records. 



Services not being continued - once the new patient portal is up and running, we will no longer email all laboratory results, as we do now, since they will be available, with added doctor comments, through the ManageMyHealth patient portal at any time. However we will continue to contact you immediately if we have any concerns. 

In this issue...

• Winter ills and Measles risk
• New computer system offers expanded service (for details see full newsletter)
• Some services changing to self-access
  
• Make sure you register for the new "Patient Portal" 

and this months Dr Ric writes the first of a two part article about

the importance of sleep