Tech to help overcome equity gaps in health

eHealthNews.nz: National Systems & Strategy

Sunday, 3 December 2023

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NEWS - eHealthNews.nz editor Rebecca McBeth

Technology must be used to overcome, not widen gaps in healthcare access and outcomes, says the director general of health.

Diana Sarfati told around 900 attendees at the opening of the 21st HiNZ Conference that the health reforms, together with rapid improvements in digital technology, provide an incredible opportunity to enhance and support a more equitable, accessible, integrated and sustainable system.

She said the Ministry of Health developed six health strategies published in July 2023, which all have data and digital solutions woven through either directly or indirectly.

“At the heart was the message that technology must be used to overcome, not widen gaps,” said Sarfati.

“We must rethink how we use our workforce to be adaptive to emerging technologies and digital tools and incentivise ways of working that will deliver the most equitable health outcomes.

“We must have unified enduring data systems that are accessible and where privacy and security are paramount. These data will need to have robust governance and alignment with respect to Māori data sovereignty protocols.”

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Sarfati said that New Zealand’s health system is facing unprecedented demand and cost pressures.

“Data, digital technology and innovation provides an incredible opportunity to make a difference within the health system,” she said.

“As an enabler, data and digital can generate information and real world evidence critical to decision making, including information on what works, the relative costs and benefits of competing health interventions, how patients move through and utilise our health system and how we can optimise the system to achieve the best outcomes from available resources.”

The Ministry published a Long Term Insights Briefing on precision health in August 2023 focused on the opportunities and challenges of genomics and artificial intelligence.

“We know these technologies are developing rapidly and present a range of new ways to think about how we do health. However, they also create new challenges and risks that must be considered and mitigated,” she told attendees.

More than 1200 people attended Digital Health Week 2023 which included a number of workshops on topics such as AI and interoperability, as well as the annual HiNZ Conference.

HiNZ chief executive Tim Corbett said in his opening address that “Pae Ora and the transformation from DHBs to Te Whatu Ora is a once in a lifetime opportunity to lay down an equitable and effective health system, fit for purpose for Aotearoa and most importantly empowered by digital”.

He said HiNZ will encourage a digitally curious workforce by developing ‘bite sized’, workbased learning opportunities for healthcare workers, enabling them to confidently apply digital health for equitable, efficient healthcare delivery.

“We will utilise our platforms, events, media, and education, to leverage the impact the HiNZ collective and ecosystem can make together. Supporting both the public and private health sector to build their digital workforce capacity and impact,” said Corbett.

“We are a vibrant ecosystem, an interconnected web of passionate, purpose-filled people. Together, as a community and collective, we have a great opportunity to contribute to achieving a digitally enabled Pae Ora by bringing our mana, knowledge, skills and practice together.”

Picture 1: Director general of health Diana Sarfati speaking at Digital Health Week 2023
Picture 2: HiNZ chief executive Tim Corbett speaking at Digital Health Week 2023