My Practice Referrals
I am very happy to be contacted by phone or by email about any patient that you are struggling to control the blood pressure. I will do my best to get that patient a slot in my public clinic in North Shore Hospital.
You can also refer the patient to me in my private clinic in the Specoialist Suite of the Apollo Centre for Health and Wellness in Albany. Suzy and Tricia are happy to inform you about a referral and to talk to the patient pre referral if required. I am very happy to take these patients in my 'interactive clinic' program, a novelty for New Zealand and in my opinion a very cost-effective and above all a efficient method to control bloodpressure in the shortest time possible.
Just give me ring, my cellphone is so easy to remember: 021 - KIDNEY (021-543639)
My practice in the Apollo Healthcentre and the new concept of the 'Interactive Clinic'
I am an FRACP qualified nephrologist, also called renal physician. The FRACP qualification is referring to the fact that I am a fully regsitered and qualified medical doctor in Australia. I also hold a current licence to practice in the European Union and Switzerland.
A little bit about myself
My primary workplace is in the public health sector as a Renal Physician (Specialist for Kidney Diseases and High Bloodpressure) and as the Chief Medical Officer at the Waitemata District Health Board. This includesNorth Shore Hospital and Waitakere Hospital. I also have a private practice in the Apollo Centre for Health and Wellness in Albany.
I did most of my medical training in Europe, initially in my home country, The Netherlands. After that I specialised in nephrology (kidney diseases) and hypertension in prestigious centres in Germany and Switzerland. I had several leading positions in academic institutions as well as in secondary hospitals in Europe.
I have a list of over 130 publications of research in my interest areas in leading scientific journals.
I was very privileged to work with Professor Donker in Amsterdam and Professor Ritz in Heidelberg and was able to do groundbreaking research in the field of delaying the progression of chronic renal disease.
I have 5 children, and in 2002 I moved to Coatesville, New Zealand, with my wife and my three youngest daughters.
From the time of my fellowship at the University Hospital Clinic for Hypertension in Berne, Switzerland, I developed a keen interest in difficult-to-treat hypertension. Diagnosing the reasons for severe hypertension is a major challenge and adequate treatment of that condition requires much more than some tablets. Sometimes less conventional ways of treatment are required. There is a place for complementary medicine in some of these cases. I am very open to alternative medicine in addition to the classic medicine as I have seen many excellent results through the years.
What I believe in
Doctors should give a more patient-focused form of care. What I mean with this often abused phrase is that I think doctors should be more readily approchable for their patients. In the case of my patients, they can always contact me by email and many of them I will give my mobile phone number.
Patients have their own responsibility. Too often patient see their health care provider and assume that he/she is going to solve their problem. This is in reality not how it works. We can only help by establishing the right diagnosis (very important) and then show you the way and support you with medication if necessary. Often the treatment includes chnages in your lifestyle. If without that your problem can not be solved and you are not willing to make these changes, then seeing a healthcare professional is probably a waste of your money and their time.
There is more to treatment than just tablets. Apart from the support with medication and changes in lifestyles, you need to accept that it is not always possible to make your problem go away. We are always so proud of our medical achievements, but really, in the greater scheme of things, we are just starting to understand a few of the issues. So, if the problem can not be made go away, we will together look for the next best option that gives you the best quality of life. This may include alternative medicine, or other healing techniques.
Hypertension is not just a disease of the bloodvessels. Your whole body and personality play a role in the abnormailities we find in people that have hoigh bloodpressure. The best example is stress and a personality that is prone to stress. Whereas some people respond to stress with stomach complaints, others will get high blood pressure.
My service: The' Interactive Hypertension Clinic'
As a new concept for New Zealand, i would like to intoduce you to my 'Interactive Hypertension Clinic' concept. I offer this special service in my clinic in the Apollo Healthcare Centre in Albany.
Hypertension is not a disease that can be treated with a one off visit to your GP or a specialized clinic. Although the best person to treat hypertension is without doubt your GP, difficult to treat hypertension is common and often warrants referral to a specialist clinic. The treatment required is often complex and the use of medication is very different from person to person. The aim is to have an optimal blood pressure with as little tablets as possible. Often treatment of hypertension leads to the trial of one drug after the other and patients find themselves on a large number of tablets with only minimal success. This again creates reluctance in people to follow the advise and once more the hypertension gets worse and the life threatening consequences become visible.
Often, treatment with medication will just be a part of the package. Recent developments have shown that there is a good place for complementary medicine. Completely depending on the basis of your hypertension problem this may include homeopathy, meditation, Reiki, acupuncture, or bio-feedback medicine. These were once thought to be vague, esoteric treatments. We now know better and are aware that a healthy body can not exist without a healthy mind and soul. What many cultures have understood for ages, only recently was accepted by classical medicine: Do not just treat someone's body.
The 'Interactive Clinic' tries to meet the demand of patients and doctors, as the tweaking of the treatment takes place over email, the patient and me being in ongoing close contact. At least once a week I will receive a spreadsheet with the bloodpressures, as recorded at home and via email we communicate the next step. Fewer visits to my clinic are necessary saving you as the patient costs and time and at the same moment the ongoing feedback reassures patients of proper follow up. We will keep your GP close in the loop of the communication. At the same time, your 'hypertension specialist' is just an email or a phone call away.
If you are reluctant to have the communication per email, for example because you do not work with computers, then we will have a weekly telephone contact at a time at your convenience where we discuss the reults and adjust the medication.
I think this service is unique in New Zealand and the close contact warrants a treatment of your blood pressure that is the safest, cheapest and most efficient way to keep your health optimal with the minimal of medication.
It is my hope that with this specialist clinic I can contribute to a healthier lifestyle and less complications of a severe disease, as hypertension is, in New Zealand.
Where to find my Clinic
My practice is located in the Apollo Centre for Health an Wellness on the corner of Apollo Drive and Rosedale Road in Albany/Mairangi Bay, Northshore, Auckland. Please click here for a map. You will find me on the first floor in the Specialist Suite. The phone number is (09) 477 3640.
The Apollo Centre has more than 200 free parking spaces and a comfortable cafetaria on site. There is also a pharmacy and laboratory facilities as well as X-ray and ultrasound facilities. For further details please visit the Apollo health website under www.apollohealth.co.nz, or read more on my website for kidney disaeses on www.kidneyhealth.co.nz .