HealthInfo West Coast-Te Tai Poutini
How to use HealthInfo
The following sections should answer many of the questions you have about how to use HealthInfo.
You can also view the following video tutorial. The tutorial shows you how to find your way around HealthInfo. It shows you how to search for information on HealthInfo, how to use the A-Z list and how to use the table of contents. It also shows you how to share information on HealthInfo with other people, and how to send feedback about HealthInfo.
Using the HealthInfo card
Your health provider may have given you a HealthInfo card, which has a space on the front to write a search term. Depending on what your health provider wants you to look up, they may have written a condition name or a search term in the box.
Type the text from the card into the SEARCH box at the top right of this page, then click the GO button. You will see a list of pages that match your search term.
Finding information on HealthInfo
If you are looking for information about a specific condition or topic, use the SEARCH box at the top right of this page. Type a word or phrase into the SEARCH box, then click the GO button. You will see a list of pages that match your search term.
If you know what subject you are looking for but are not sure what search term to use, try using the A-Z list of topics. Click the A-Z health topics link in the green bar at the top of this page and click the appropriate letter of the alphabet. Then click the appropriate subject in the A-Z list.
If you want to see what topics are available on HealthInfo, you can browse using the table of contents at the left of this page. Click the section you are interested in, for example Keeping healthy. Then select a topic from the list of topics, for example Being smokefree.
Using autocomplete in the Search box
As you type in the SEARCH box, a list will appear with search suggestions that match the letters you have typed so far. As you type more letters, the list will contain fewer search suggestions. If you see a useful search suggestion in the list, click it, then click the GO button. A list of search results will appear.
Even if the term you are searching for does not come up in the autocomplete list, type it all in and search. Not all words are in the autocomplete list and what you are searching for may still be on HealthInfo.
Getting back to the home page
To get back to the home page, either click "Home" on the green menu bar at the top of each page or click the HealthInfo logo at the top left of the page.
Sending feedback about HealthInfo
You can send us feedback about the content on HealthInfo or tell us about content you would like to see on the website. To do this, either click the blue Send us your feedback button at the top of each page or click the contact HealthInfo link at the bottom of each page.
Important
Feedback is sent to an administrator, not a health professional. Please do not send patient details or request medical advice.
If you need medical advice, please phone your general practice team.
If you need information about hospital services, appointments or waiting lists, contact Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand.
Sharing information with other people
You can send someone a link to a specific HealthInfo page. To do this, click the Facebook, Twitter or Email icon at the bottom of the page (under Share HealthInfo).
Encourage your family and friends to browse HealthInfo to look for health information.
Increasing the text size on HealthInfo pages
If you find the text size on HealthInfo a bit small to read comfortably, click the "+" button at the top right of the page until the text is big enough. Click the "-" button if you want to reduce the text size.
Alternatively, use your browser's Zoom-in (Ctrl +) and Zoom-out (Ctrl -) commands to magnify and reduce the whole page. Ctrl 0 resets the zoom level to the default setting.
Printing patient information leaflets
To print any HealthInfo page, click the Print icon that is at the far right of the page title.
For general pages, clicking Print opens your browser's print window. This allows you to specify which printer to use, the range of pages to print and so on.
For patient information leaflets, clicking Print opens a PDF file that has been properly formatted for printing. You can print this or download it to your computer.
Finding information in other languages
See Health information in multiple languages and New Zealand healthcare system.
HealthInfo writers
The information on HealthInfo is specific to Waitaha Canterbury, South Canterbury and the Southern district. It is written and approved by local doctors, practice nurses, hospital specialists and other healthcare professionals.
The site contains locally developed patient information and descriptions of local health services and supports. It also has recommended links to local, New Zealand and international health and wellbeing information. It is intended to supplement the information that you get from your healthcare provider or general practice team.
For more information, see About HealthInfo.
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed April 2024.
Review key: HIABO-38495
