Data and digital key to achieving health targets

NEWS - eHealthNews.nz editor Rebecca McBeth

Data and digital will be key to achieving the new Government health targets, says Naomi Ferguson, board member of Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora.

Speaking at the HiNZ Digital Health Leadership Summit held in Wellington on May 14-15, she said data and digital is needed to both measure the new targets, but also to rethink clinical pathways.

The next Health New Zealand plan, due out in July, will include the health targets identified by Health Minister Shane Reti covering cancer treatment, childhood immunisation, emergency departments and wait times for first specialist assessments and elective treatment.

“Digital isn't about technology. It's about reimagining end-to-end how to achieve better health outcomes,” she told the 220-strong audience.

“We want to harness clinical leadership, harness innovation, harness technology, and harness experience to continually improve services, access to services, and health outcomes.” 

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Ferguson said the Pae Ora Health Futures Act is about providing quality services to everyone in New Zealand.

The provision of digital solutions is identified as one of the five key shifts necessary to achieve Pae Ora, but data and digital also underpin the other four.

“It is the way in which we will be able to improve and enhance health intelligence, provide people with the power to help manage their health and to ensure that our workforce are ready to use new technologies to help provide better care,” Ferguson said.

She said the Summit provided an opportunity to reimagine the health system and the power of Health New Zealand is that it can take brilliant local innovations and scale them across the country.

“I am really excited about the opportunity to rethink health, using data and digital.”

Picture: Naomi Ferguson, board member of Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora, speaking at the 2024 HiNZ Digital Health Leadership Summit

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