AI could transform rural healthcare access in New Zealand, says international expert

NEWS  - eHealthNews editor Rebecca McBeth

New Zealand should position itself as a global leader in deploying artificial intelligence (AI) for healthcare, particularly to address rural access challenges, according to international health expert Ezekiel Emanuel.

Speaking at the nib NZ Health Innovator’s Summit, US writer and oncologist Emanuel said that AI could provide 24-hour access to care in rural and underserved areas by reducing the need for patients to travel to urban centres to access specialist expertise.

"We are at the cusp of the AI era, make no mistake about it. It is not here today, necessarily, but it is going to be here tomorrow and New Zealand can either be a leader or it can be a follower. There's no reason it should not be a leader,” he told the Summit.

Emanuel said that several companies developing AI systems are interested in testing their technology in the real-world and this is an opportunity for New Zealand to pioneer clinical AI implementation.

He also advocated for a single electronic health record system for the country as well as using ambient AI technology nationally to reduce administrative burdens on clinicians.

"You look at almost anything, and either today or certainly by 2030, AI is going to outperform doctors in almost every area," he said. 

"New Zealand needs to be a leader in this space."

Health Minister Simeon Brown spoke at the Summit and said Health New Zealand has established HealthX to accelerate digital health innovations and AI by working with technology companies to rapidly trial new solutions.

He described HealthX as a platform to "partner closely with private sector digital health innovators to find ways that we can rapidly innovate, trial new things in our health system and make sure that Health New Zealand is a place of innovation and opportunity.

"The system does not need more complexity, it needs to focus on the problems that face in front of it, making available tools that make existing processes faster, safer and more efficient, that give clinicians more time with patients and make it easier for New Zealanders to access care when and where they need it," Brown told attendees.

Brown also spoke about the 10-year health digital investment plan released in November which he said identifies where investment in digital technology will lift productivity and signals opportunities for partnership within the health system.

He said there are several innovation initiatives already underway, including AI scribes being rolled out in emergency departments nationwide, genomic testing being brought closer to home and AI being used in screening programmes.

Image: Ezekiel Emanuel speaking at the nib NZ Health Innovator’s Summit

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