My View: Budget 2024

eHealthNews.nz: Sector

Monday, 24 June 2024

Share |

VIEW - Ryl Jensen, chief executive, Digital Health Association (DHA)

How do I feel about the recent Budget 2024 announcements for digital health in New Zealand? Conflicted is probably a good word. Determined is another. Disappointed fits too.

On the one hand, we have an enormous opportunity to come together as a sector and an ecosystem to take stock and reimagine an even stronger business case for interoperability across our health system (and we will!). But on the other hand, I feel the deep sense of disappointment and uncertainty shared by many of my amazing colleagues, members, and community where the further development of those foundations that were being laid for a tech-led and tech-enabled health system have been paused or hibernated.

What is equally disturbing is what this means at a political and policy level. Put simply, digital technologies and digital solutions are obviously not seen as a priority, or even as a necessity. Which is difficult to understand, given our reliance on technology in every other aspect of our life.

Tech as an enabler
We all know technology is an enabler. We have come to know it, rely on it, and embrace it, but our health systems across the world have not advanced at the same pace as other sectors.

Why is it we expect our banking apps to give us immediate knowledge and access to our financial information, but we seem to accept the very-limited-by-today’s-standards 20th century status quo for our health information?

We are happy to, and expect to, order an Uber online, but we seem content that our health system remains firmly rooted in the dial-up age, despite there being many and various hi-tech solutions available. We can and should expect better.

We know that health systems are complex and demanding, with many different challenges, including political, economic, workforce, and social factors that come into play. However, as a consumer of the health system, I know what I want in the 21st century: I want to see my health information available to me - from a physio, hospital, dentist or GP - and I want to have control of it. I also want to know it is safe, and I want to stop telling my health story over and over.

Understanding the value of tech
I also want my various healthcare providers to be ‘joined up’: to all have access, when appropriate, to my patient information and any treatment plans so they can work as a team to help me manage my healthcare.

We do not have that quite yet, but we do have a whole bunch of clever and passionate people and organisations who can and will eventually make that happen, both in the private and public sectors. But for that to happen, we do need our health sector policymakers and politicians to properly understand and value the role of digital technologies.

To be clear about how these technologies and what they offer impact and benefit people’s lives, and, crucially, given the parlous state of our health workforce, how digital technologies can support and bolster that workforce. We also need them to be clear on the impact and negative outcomes generated by their decisions to stall or hibernate investment in digital technology.

That there is a negative impact is inarguable. Those of us who have spent any time in the digital health ecosystem know those technologies could, if invested in properly, transform New Zealand’s health system. Not just incrementally, but radically.

We would all benefit hugely. Which begs the question—why is that investment not forthcoming? That is not a rhetorical question, if anyone has the answer I would be pleased to hear it.

Finding a way
Having said that, I’m confident we will get there in the end. We will keep on stressing the massive benefits that come with digital health technologies. We will demonstrate how Kiwis across the motu are being disadvantaged by decisions affecting digital health technologies in Budget 2024.

We Kiwis are a tenacious and hardy lot. We are also innovative and optimistic. Even in hard economic times, we will find a way to keep working toward a connected health system for our health workforce and our people, and we will do it together.

Technology will not only enable our health system, but it will also contribute to our GDP, making our country a better place. Get the settings right, back us, and watch us Kiwis fly.

Onwards and upwards!