What is Model of Care?
Model of Care
Health Care Home and Pou Ora | Pillars of Health - transforming general practice across Aotearoa through whānau-centred care.
Models of Care – Health Care Home and Pou Ora | Pillars of Health
Over the past decade, the Health Care Home (HCH) model has helped transform general practice in Aotearoa, improving the quality, equity, and sustainability of services while enhancing the experience for both patients and staff.
First introduced to New Zealand more than ten years ago, HCH is now in over 300 general practices, serving more than 1.45 million enrolled patients.
In 2025, this mahi evolved into Pou Ora | Pillars of Health – a reviewed and reimagined model of care shaped by lived experience leadership, strengthened equity commitments, and a deeper honouring of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Both models share a common purpose: shifting general practice from a mostly reactive system to one that partners with patients and whānau to plan, prevent, and respond to health needs in a timely and culturally safe way. This includes ensuring urgent appointments for those who need them most, offering flexible consultation options (phone, video, email, and in-person), and taking a proactive approach to long-term condition management such as asthma and diabetes.
Watch Introduction Webinar on Pou Ora | Pillars of Health
Learn about the evolution of our model of care and how it supports whānau-centred primary care.
Resources
Model of Care Booklets
Download our comprehensive guides to implementing the model of care in your practice.
Pou Ora | Pillars of Health
The 2025 model of care strengthens primary and community care with five interconnected pillars, ensuring accessible, sustainable, and responsive care for whānau.
Enhanced HCH Model of Care
Encompasses 38 characteristics establishing a whānau-centric approach for better patient and staff experience, improved quality of care and greater sustainability.
HCH Building Blocks
The 12 key characteristics for practices starting out on their journey. Flexible and adaptive, practices choose aspects that fit the needs of their community/whānau.
Pou Ora
The Five Pillars of Pou Ora | Pillars of Health
Pillars depicted on Pou Ora are designed to evoke a set of carved wooden pillars standing tall and strong, while also directly linking back to the rākau of the Health Care Home model of care.
The five pou | pillars act as a visual system to communicate the concepts within each pillar, ensuring these guiding principles are at the heart of this model of care.
Collaboration
Collaboration is key to delivering integrated healthcare.
Access to Acute Care
Timely access to acute care is essential for a well-functioning primary care system.
Innovation & Sustainability
As healthcare demands grow, we must embrace new ways of working.
Proactive & Preventive Care
A shift towards proactive and preventive care helps keep communities healthier for longer.
Workforce
A sustainable and skilled workforce is at the heart of high-quality care.
Foundation
Health Care Home Model of Care
The Health Care Home (HCH) model of care is a whānau-centric approach which enables primary care to deliver a better patient and staff experience, improved quality of care, and greater sustainability.
The Health Care Home Collaborative established the HCH model of care requirements, first published in July 2017 to demystify the model of care, and provide clear guidance for those who want to implement it. Consistent implementation of the HCH model in general practices nationally is important so that all patients/whānau enrolled in HCH practices can expect the same standard of care.
Watch Introduction Video
Learn about the Model of Care
Four Core Domains
The HCH model of care requirements document sets out the HCH service elements and characteristics grouped into four core domains:
Improved Sustainability
Building sustainable practice models that support workforce wellbeing and long-term service delivery.
Ready Access to Urgent Care
Ensuring urgent and unplanned care is accessible when whānau need it most.
Proactive Care for Complex Needs
Taking a proactive approach to managing long-term conditions and complex health needs.
Better Routine & Preventative Care
Delivering comprehensive routine and preventative care for all enrolled patients.
Maturity Matrix
Within each domain, a maturity matrix provides a continuum of model of care descriptors, using scoring of 1 (low maturity) to 4 (high maturity) for each indicator, with 4 being the target. This approach recognises that HCH practices are on a continuous improvement journey.
Health Care Home National Endorsement Programme
A programme to recognise and acknowledge modern general practices that demonstrate leadership in primary care innovation, operational efficiency, and quality.
Learn About Endorsement