Top ten stories - 2023 - Health Informatics New Zealand

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Top ten stories - 2023

Tuesday, 5 December 2023

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NEWS - eHealthNews.nz editor Rebecca McBeth

Changes in strategy, structure and leadership at Te Whatu Ora garnered the most attention from eHealthNews readers in 2023.

The most-read story of the year was an eHealthNews exclusive about an equity adjuster-waitlist tool going live across all surgical services at Te Whatu Ora Te Toka Tumai Auckland.

Greg Williams, interim chief digital officer, told eHealthNews that by the time patients get on to a hospital waiting list, they have already faced a variety of hurdles which make the system inequitable and the tool was developed to reduce inequity in the system.

In second place was news that Te Whatu Ora would look to support “no more than two tactical solutions in each domain” as part of its drive to simplify to unify, followed closely by an update on the new operating model for data and digital at the national organisation.

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Chief data and digital Leigh Donoghue told eHealthNews in September that a simplified operating model will enable Te Whatu Ora to make faster decisions, accelerate delivery and become a truly digital organisation

News that work on the new National Data Platform had begun was the fourth most-read article. The project will create a common platform for national data sets, and the first collection is due to be released before the end of this year.

eHealthNews regularly publishes a Movers and Shakers column, highlighting people moving in and out of key roles in data and digital health. Our April edition, which included the move of Lloyd McCann to Tāmaki Health as chief executive and appointment of five new senior leadership roles at Te Whatu Ora data and digital, comes in fifth on the top ten list after being widely read and shared.

Donoghue joined the organisation in May and his first major speech to the sector signalling his intention to drive a “rationalisation around fewer better national platforms and national services” features as sixth on the list.

The appointment of New Zealand’s first national chief clinical informatics officer Lara Hopley caught readers attention, placing it seventh, and a piece based on comments made by Te Whatu Ora chief executive Fepulea’i Margie Apa and interim board chair Naomi Ferguson at a board meeting in April placed eighth.

Apa said that New Zealand’s health system has historically invested in hospital information systems, but the majority of patient contact is happening in communities, and Ferguson said the board has a role to play in thinking about technology that will enable a different approach of providing more care in the community.

Ninth was news that a number of analytics, improvement and innovation roles would be disestablished under proposals to 'simplify to unify' corporate and back office functions at Te Whatu Ora.

The restructure also affected numerous data and digital roles and a new structure for the team went live in November 2023.

Donoghue’s appointment as chief data and digital at Te Whatu Ora was our tenth most popular story of the year.