New Health Minister expects ‘substantial progress’ in use of telehealth

NEWS - eHealthNews editor Rebecca McBeth

The new Minister of Health expects to see “substantial progress” in the use of telehealth and the expansion of Healthline to support video calls and public health emergencies.

Simeon Brown has been appointed as the new Minister as part of a government reshuffle, with health identified as a priority area for 2025.

The Minister tells eHealthNews that digital services and telehealth are key enablers for achieving better health outcomes for New Zealanders by bringing consultations to patients. 

“This is particularly helpful for people who may live in areas seeing increased demand on GP services, or for those living in rural communities,” he says.

Browns expects to see “substantial progress and improvements” in the use of technologies such as telehealth, with more options for consultations via video, telephone or secure message, where this is clinically appropriate.

Also, the “enhancement of Healthline so it can book appointments for calls with its primary care team and expand use to video calls to support callers to appropriate clinical services”, and ensuring that Healthline is scalable in response to public health emergencies.

Brian O’Connell acting chief executive Whakarongorau Aotearoa/ New Zealand Telehealth Services, says Healthline demand has increased 33 percent from 2019 to 2023, showing more New Zealanders are choosing telehealth.

“As our health system faces mounting pressure, we are seeing more complex health needs that require enhanced clinical support and innovative virtual care solutions to ensure people get the right help,” he says.

O'Connell cites the introduction of image and video sharing in Healthline as a good example of innovation that has had a measurable impact, as callers using images are 50 percent less likely to be sent to ED or 111.

“We see that virtual care is not merely an option, it is an imperative for the future of healthcare,” he says.

Brown tells eHealthNews that the Government Policy Statement on Health (GPS) sets out the government’s expectation that the health system has the digital and physical infrastructure it needs to meet people’s needs now and into the future. 

This includes infrastructure that enables the use of technology in health care services, such as telehealth and online mental health and addiction services, he says.

The GPS says IT infrastructure networks and security are outdated and cannot manage increased cybersecurity issues, or support evolving health service delivery in the home and within community facilities. 

It identifies building digital infrastructure for the future as a priority area for the system, however Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora’s digital budget is being slashed by $100 million a year, leading to proposed job cuts and projects being delayed or stopped.

Brown says: “my expectation is that Health New Zealand delivers technologies that help New Zealanders manage their health, and increase access to timely, quality healthcare".

Image: Minister of Health Simeon Brown

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