Cloud-native enterprise platforms can deliver the scalability and resilience needed to support Health New Zealand's modernisation efforts under the Health Digital Investment Plan (HDIP), says Workday’s Global Head of Healthcare Strategy John Kravitz.

The Plan aims to create a more connected health system across New Zealand, with digital modernisation identified as key to improving patient outcomes and operational efficiency.

Kravitz, a former healthcare CIO, says the Workday platform addresses the fragmentation that slows care.

"Most large health systems struggle under a patchwork of legacy systems that create bottlenecks," he says. 

"By establishing a single, authoritative source of truth, we allow the system to absorb large-scale organisational shifts seamlessly."

Kravitz points to Banner Health as an example, where consolidation reduced application volume by 50 per cent for more than 50,000 workers, saying this allows focus to be redirected back to patient outcomes while mitigating risk and reducing complexity.

Workday's unified architecture also delivers continuous innovation through two major updates annually without traditional re-implementation risks. 

"A national health system cannot afford upgrade freezes," Kravitz explains. 

"Because you cannot customise Workday, the upgrade process is expedited."

He says true resilience is built at the bedside and by automating identity lifecycle management through integrations with tools like SailPoint, the platform ensures healthcare workers have appropriate access immediately. 

Kravitz says Health NZ's connectivity goals under the HDIP mirror what health systems globally are striving for and to achieve this you need a secure open ecosystem hub. 

Workday offers an API-first architecture that flows worker data into clinical rostering and payroll systems in real-time. Rochester Regional Health used this approach to nearly triple their integration capacity to more than 130 secure connections.

Kravitz says the platform unifies workforce planning with financial data, allowing care model changes to be immediately reflected in recruitment pipelines and budgets. 

And when pay equity or regulatory shifts occur, customers can update entire structures and pay rules without writing a single line of code.

The platform also supports rapid role re-profiling as health systems shift toward hospital-at-home and community-based care models, which also form part of New Zealand’s HDIP.

Kravitz says security concerns are top of mind for health systems around the world and New Zealand is not immune as shown by a number of high-profile health system breaches in early 2026.

“Workday applies the same security standards used for government and federal agency customers globally,” he says, adding that the era of Agentic AI raises a critical question.

“How do we innovate without exposing data to the public internet? At Workday, your data never leaves the 'closed wall' of our environment,” he says.

Source: Workday media release

Sector updates are provided by organisations to eHealthNews.nz and have not necessarily been edited or checked for accuracy. Any queries should be directed to the organisation issuing the release.

Do you have an item to add to sector updates?

Email your information to us at updates@hinz.org.nz

Return to eHealthNews.nz home page

General practices in Te Waipounamu, South Island will be the first to begin onboarding to the Shared Digital Health Record from April with clinicians expected to begin accessing SDHR data from mid-2026.

The phased rollout will continue with Te Manawa Taki | Midland region, followed by Northern and Central regions. 

The SDHR is a clinical data connector, designed to securely share patient data across the healthcare system, eventually enabling healthcare providers nationwide to access and update core health information including allergies, adverse reactions, conditions, encounters, and observations.

At a February webinar hosted by HiNZ on the SDHR, Heath Tolley, portfolio group manager – digital enablers & integration at Health NZ, said recent high profile health data breaches have affected public confidence in health information sharing systems.

Consumer research by Health NZ showed one in five of those surveyed reported a significant impact on their trust in health information sharing systems. 

However, 83 percent of participants were still comfortable sharing health information through services like the shared digital health record to support their care.

The latest SDHR update says the staged roll-out ensures each region gets proper support and prevents overwhelming Primary Health Organisations (PHOs) and practices during the transition. 

Stage one of the onboarding process includes a mandatory patient notification period, during which practices must inform patients about the SDHR and give them the opportunity to opt out if they prefer their health information not to be shared. 

It is an opt-in record by default, so if patient’s do not choose to opt out, Health NZ takes a copy of patient data held in the practice's Patient Management System (PMS) during stage two.

The final stage, planned from mid-2026, will see existing regional shared electronic health records (SEHRs) begin integrating with the SDHR, enabling clinicians using those systems to access patient health information held in the national record.

The update says some onboarding processes for the SDHR, including registration, privacy and security assessments, and signing access and use agreements, will also support data collection for the Primary Care Health Target and the National Primary Care Dataset.

Practices will receive information about participating in the SDHR from their PHO before the process begins in their region. Healthcare providers can also contact shareddigitalhealthrecord@tewhatuora.govt.nz.

Watch the webinar on demand and claim your CPD certificates/CME credits.

You’ve read this article for free, but good journalism takes time and resource to produce. Please consider supporting eHealthNews by becoming a member of HiNZ, for just $17 a month.

Read more National Systems & Strategy news

Return to eHealthNews.nz home page

A collaborative procurement platform designed for primary and community healthcare providers was piloted in Auckland and is technically ready for nationwide deployment, but needs access to the Health System Catalogue.

Primely is a business-to-business marketplace that would allow primary care providers to access the same national pricing available to hospitals for medical supplies and equipment.

Jess Morgan-French, chief executive of Collaborative Aotearoa, presented the project alongside Rod Hall from Tranzsoft at Digital Health Week NZ 2025, highlighting significant cost disparities between primary and secondary care procurement. 

She said there is a fundamental pricing disparity where primary and community care providers pay between 10 to 40 percent more for identical medical supplies compared to hospitals.

Morgan-French said it was ironic that community and primary healthcare providers receive less funding than hospital systems yet pay more for essential supplies.

The Primely platform is similar to consumer e-commerce sites, allowing healthcare providers to browse multiple suppliers to choose their items.

"What is missing is we do not have access to the Te Whatu Ora Health System Catalogue (HSC) despite a lot of advocacy from a lot of different people," she said.

Hall, who has led much of the technical development, said the platform was co-designed with primary care.

It consolidates procurement from multiple suppliers into one streamlined process and is designed to extend national pricing and supply access to all healthcare providers, including remote clinics, iwi health providers and urgent care centres.

However, following a successful pilot in Auckland a copule of years ago, wider deployment depends on gaining access to the national HSC, which contains standardised product data covering more than 270,000 active clinical and non-clinical products.

Treasury-approved business case documents from the original HSC project talk about providing access beyond hospitals, including Primary Health Organisations (PHOs), non-government organisations (NGOs), community services and other healthcare providers.

The business case stated that PHOs, NGOs and community services "would be consumers of the HSC, long-term".

However, national director - procurement, supply chain and health technology management Andy Windsor, says establishing the HSC to meet the needs of Health NZ is the current priority and no decisions have been made regarding extending it beyond that.

Morgan-French said the platform addresses several current health policy objectives, including supporting distributed and community-based care, providing equity across providers and communities, and enabling primary care-led system efficiency.

Image: Jess Morgan-French, chief executive of Collaborative Aotearoa

You’ve read this article for free, but good journalism takes time and resource to produce. Please consider supporting eHealthNews by becoming a member of HiNZ, for just $17 a month.

Read more National Systems & Strategy news

Return to eHealthNews.nz home page

Labour’s health spokesperson supports the principle of long-term investment in digital health but has stopped short of backing the Government’s 10-year Health Digital Investment Plan (HDIP), citing concerns about cybersecurity and transparency.

Health Minister Simeon Brown launched the plan and announced the creation of a Centre for Digital Modernisation of Health at Digital Health Week in November 2025. 

HDIP was published alongside a notice of future procurement opportunities including an electronic health record, remote patient monitoring, national radiology solutions, a national integrated operating centre and booking and scheduling.

Asked whether Labour supports the direction of the long-term plan, health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said more detail was needed before Labour could commit to support it.

“We would like to see more detail about how the plan will invest in cybersecurity, because the plan is vague,” Verrall tells eHealthNews. 

“I have asked detailed questions during select committee hearings but not had the answers we need to confidently support it.”

Her comments come amid heightened scrutiny of cybersecurity following a recent data breach at patient portal provider Manage My Health.

Verrall said Labour supports stronger enforcement of privacy and security obligations, aligning with recent comments from the Privacy Commissioner.

“The Privacy Commissioner has called for penalties to drive compliance and we back that call,” she said. 

“We need to undo the National government’s cuts to cybersecurity capability within Health NZ to support the primary care sector.”

Asked whether Labour would keep the HDIP in place if elected, Verrall said she supported the use of long-term plans to guide investment but that transparency was critical.

“I support the principle of long-term plans to guide sustained investment. That will only happen when there is a higher level of transparency from government.”

Verrall said Labour would continue to engage with the digital health sector on future investment priorities.

“I am always open to hearing from the wider sector about what the key opportunities are,” she said.

Alongside the investment plan, the Government announced the establishment of a Centre for Digital Modernisation of Health, which will coordinate delivery of large-scale digital programmes across the sector.

Image: Labour’s health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall

You’ve read this article for free, but good journalism takes time and resource to produce. Please consider supporting eHealthNews by becoming a member of HiNZ, for just $17 a month.

Read more National Systems & Strategy news

Return to eHealthNews.nz home page

GP2GP allows the secure transfer of patient records between general practices. It plays a crucial role in ensuring continuity of care by reducing manual processes and preventing the loss of important clinical information. 

Working with PMS suppliers

We are actively working with practice management system (PMS) suppliers to ensure they roll out the latest versions of GP2GP to their practices by the middle of the year. Operating on the most up-to-date version of GP2GP helps improve the reliability of the service and reduce transfer errors.

Experiencing GP2GP issues? Contact your PMS supplier

If your practice is experiencing any GP2GP issues, please contact your PMS supplier directly for support. Contact details are below.

Sector updates are provided by organisations to eHealthNews.nz and have not necessarily been edited or checked for accuracy. Any queries should be directed to the organisation issuing the release.

Do you have an item to add to sector updates?

Email your information to us at updates@hinz.org.nz

Return to eHealthNews.nz home page

Health New Zealand has confirmed the leadership structure for its Centre for Digital Modernisation of Health, appointing eight directors to oversee delivery of the 10-year Health Digital Investment Plan (HDIP) launched at Digital Health Week in November 2025.

The centre, which began operating on 1 December 2025, is a strategic imperative as the current state of health technology is a "primary blocker to achieving national health goals", the HDIP future procurement opportunities notice says.

A key initiative for 2026 involves establishing a panel for strategic implementation partners to support large-scale programme delivery, risk-sharing, and innovative funding models.

Lara Hopley has been appointed chief clinical digital modernisation officer, providing clinical leadership to ensure digital solutions support clinicians and improve care delivery.

The leadership team also includes; Lance Elder as director of enterprise architecture; Brian More as director of strategy; Ben Copsey as director of HDIP Investment; and Yvette Keys as director of change management office.

Kevin Ross has been appointed director of run ahead, identifying and evaluating emerging technologies and innovative delivery models, and Josh Tabor heads the Digital Academy, responsible for building digital capability across Health NZ. 

A centre director is being recruited, with Stephen Crombie in the interim role.

Helen Lear, who is head of centre operations, says the centre “continues to progress well through its establishment phase".

“Recent engagement sessions with Health New Zealand teams, suppliers, and government agencies have helped refine the Centre’s early ways of working and align planning for delivery of the Health Digital Investment Plan (HDIP).”

The notice of future procurement opportunities provides a comprehensive list of planned procurements for the year and will be updated as the delivery plan is refined.

The procurement list includes market sounding activities for a next-generation Digital Health Platform, encompassing Electronic Health Records and core clinical systems. 

National platforms for virtual-enabled care will support delivery of healthcare services remotely using telecommunication and information management technologies.

Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) platforms will support 'Hospital in the Home' models of care, and radiology systems procurement will address national requirements across the health system. 

Market engagement is starting for national Human Capital Management system and a panel will be established for public cloud hosting services and implementation partners to support cloud migration services. 

A National Integrated Operating Centre and Patient Flow platform will provide real-time visibility for optimising hospital operations and patient flow.

Multiple panels for specialised clinical applications will cover various categories including anaesthetics, cardiology, and laboratory systems. 

Patient engagement platforms will support patients and whānau to access health records and services, whilst national telephony and Wide Area Network solutions will provide foundational infrastructure.

The HDIP strategic implementation partners arrangement will include key delivery capability areas, which may be added to and extended as the programme progresses and requires different implementation capabilities. 

Lear says initial priorities for 2026 include completing establishment activities for the centre, including appointing a permanent director and releasing further secondment opportunities for Health New Zealand staff. 

“The centre will focus on embedding the target operating model and delivery frameworks whilst progressing planning and portfolio management for the Health Digital Investment Plan,” she tells eHealthNews.

Image: Lara Hopley, clinical digital modernisation officer, Centre for Digital Modernisation of Health

You’ve read this article for free, but good journalism takes time and resource to produce. Please consider supporting eHealthNews by becoming a member of HiNZ, for just $17 a month.

Read more National Systems & Strategy news

Return to eHealthNews.nz home page

The government plans to consolidate dozens of separate digital systems into shared platforms to reduce duplication and improve services for New Zealanders, the deputy government chief digital officer (GCDO) says.

Myles Ward told Digital Health Week 2025 that the GCDO fully supports the new Health Digital Investment Plan and is working closely with health to ensure alignment with the All-of-Government (AoG) target state. 

Ward, who is serving on the governance board for the newly announced Centre for Digital Modernisation of Health, said the GCDO will also use developments in health to support system-wide improvements across all government services.

“This plan represents a significant step forward in modernising and rationalising New Zealand's digital health infrastructure," Ward told the conference.

“By aligning investment, building connected digital infrastructure, placing citizens at the centre of design, we can create a smarter, more resilient system that delivers real value to all of New Zealand.

“In health this means better outcomes for patients, more effective support for clinicians and enabling clinicians to innovate at the front.”

He said that government agencies operate 42 different technology approaches, creating complexity and fragmentation that affects their ability to share data and deliver seamless services.

"Too many agencies continue to invest in similar technologies and systems in isolation, resulting in duplication, fragmentation and unnecessary cost," Ward said.

Forward investment intentions of $13 - $15 billion have created "quite an unaffordable situation" under this fragmented approach.

The goal is to replace this with shared platforms and move from a siloed technology environment to a connected whole-of-government digital ecosystem.

Also, development of a decentralised system where people control their own data with digital identity as the cornerstone.

“When we look at digital identity, we are going to a decentralised approach whereby someone can issue their credential or identity based on what they want to do,” he explained.

Ward said that emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, are becoming integral to how the government operates.

“We know from our recent surveys that almost every agency surveyed is now exploring AI in some form,” he told the conference. 

“The challenge that I put out there in the private sector is how you enable us to use that, how you give us the tools, how you give us the registries and how you support the training for us to be able to deliver it in the right way, as opposed to us trying to figure it out ourselves.”

Image: Deputy government chief digital officer Myles Ward speaking at Digital Health Week 2025

To comment on or discuss this news story, go to the eHealthNews category on the HiNZ eHealth Forum

You’ve read this article for free, but good journalism takes time and resource to produce. Please consider supporting eHealthNews by becoming a member of HiNZ, for just $17 a month

Read more National Systems & Strategy news

Return to eHealthNews.nz home page

A new clinical leadership model is part of a devolved operating structure that is essential to the success of Health New Zealand’s digital modernisation plan, the organisation’s board chair Lester Levy says.

Speaking at Digital Health Week 2025, Levy said the new model will require clinician involvement across all Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora decisions, from patient care to traditionally management-only areas.

Participation will be along a continuum from ‘clinically led’ to ‘clinically engaged’ to ‘clinically involved’, depending on the decision.

"Every decision that we make has some fundamental clinical impact,” Levy said.

He told attendees that for the new 10-year Health Digital Investment Plan (HDIP) to be successful there needs to be cultural shift, described as the "software of the organisation".

The plan was announced at the conference by the Minister of Health on November 25, alongside the creation of a Centre for Digital Modernisation of Health.

"We have this plan to actually reconfigure, totally revolutionise our whole data and digital system, but in order to successfully do that, we have to reconfigure and revolutionise the other software, the software that I am talking about."

The devolved operating model aims to move decision-making and resources as close to frontline action as possible, within a framework that is "nationally consistent, regionally coordinated and locally delivered”, Levy told attendees.

"It will be a bottom-up budget: these are the resources people have and they will work out how to deploy the resources in order to make the outcomes that we are looking for."

He said the cultural transformation required is a significant challenge as the current organisational culture is "a little bit of a federation" rather than one unified organisation.

Levy described the new HDIP as addressing "a very significant technical deficit and digital and data deficit" within Health NZ. For example, the organisation operates 21 separate payroll systems, making real time reporting very difficult.

The aim is to create an integrated, interoperable system enabling real-time management across all operations. 

"With artificial intelligence, with innovation, with high levels of investment, the kind of products and opportunities that are coming through have got massive productivity elasticity," he said.

Image: Health NZ board chair Lester Levy speaking at Digital Health Week 2025

To comment on or discuss this news story, go to the eHealthNews category on the HiNZ eHealth Forum

You’ve read this article for free, but good journalism takes time and resource to produce. Please consider supporting eHealthNews by becoming a member of HiNZ, for just $17 a month

Read more National Systems & Strategy news

Return to eHealthNews.nz home page

A new centre with a dedicated board and leadership team will oversee delivery of the 10-year Health Digital Investment Plan using both Health New Zealand staff and partners.

Investment in digital health infrastructure is a strategic imperative as the current state of health technology is a "primary blocker to achieving national health goals", a notice of future procurement opportunities says.

Health New Zealand is establishing the centre to drive delivery of the 10-year Health Digital Investment Plan (HDIP), launched by the Minister of Health at Digital Health Week 2025.

Darren Douglass, acting chief information technology officer, told the conference the centre represents "a new and innovative way of doing things, not just for Health New Zealand, but for New Zealand government agencies”.

He said the Centre for Digital Modernisation will serve as "the engine room that powers the Health Digital Investment Plan," managing everything from strategy and architecture to investment, design, delivery and change management.

It will include an AI Innovation group and a digital academy to build capability across the health workforce.

"The Centre will also provide transparency with clear reporting on progress, risks and dependencies across the entire plan," Douglass said.

He described the HDIP as "the first national digital plan of its kind for our health system," and a “a key part of the national health reform agenda”.

"We need a clear, actionable path to investing in, stabilising, modernising and advancing the health system," Douglass told attendees. 

The plan’s seven focus areas are; digitally enabled models of care, intelligence and insights,; clinical and operational experience, people and whānau experience, corporate experience, technology foundations and data and interoperability.

It was published alongside a notice of future procurement opportunities, which outlines upcoming investment in; an electronic health record (HER), remote patient monitoring, national radiology solutions, a national integrated operating centre and booking and scheduling.

Also, public cloud infrastructure, human capital management and enterprise resource planning, patient engagement solutions, and a national Wide Area Network.

“This procurement will be delivered in partnership with the GCDO, who have a system leadership role for All of Government (AoG) digital procurement,” the GETS notice says.

Deputy government chief digital officer Myles Ward, who also spoke at Digital Health Week, sits on the Centre’s new board.

Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons says the plan risks failure unless the government changes course on its cuts to the workforce and funding needed to deliver it.

"The Minister is right that our health system needs digital transformation, but you can't deliver on that promise this while drastically cutting the workforce responsible for implementing it and not investing in the workers," said  Fitzsimons.

"Data and digital staff are currently in mediation because they are not being offered a fair cost of living increase. On Friday they'll be striking from 1-5pm because this Government refuses to properly value the workers it claims are critical to modernising our health system.”

Image: Darren Douglass, CITO, speaking at Digital Health Week 2025

To comment on or discuss this news story, go to the eHealthNews category on the HiNZ eHealth Forum

You’ve read this article for free, but good journalism takes time and resource to produce. Please consider supporting eHealthNews by becoming a member of HiNZ, for just $17 a month

Read more National Systems & Strategy news

Return to eHealthNews.nz home page

The Health Minister has launched a 10-year Health Digital Investment Plan, signalling investments in a single Electronic Medical Record, remote patient monitoring, radiology and cybersecurity.

Speaking at Digital Health Week in Christchurch on 25 November, Simeon Brown also announced the creation of a Centre for Digital Modernisation of Health to deliver the plan.

The centre is a collaboration between Health New Zealand and delivery partners that brings together global innovation capabilities, artificial intelligence expertise and process engineering to coordinate large-scale digital transformation programmes.

Brown said 65 per cent of hospitals in Aotearoa still use paper-based notes and 85 per cent of digital systems cannot share information properly.

"Right now Health New Zealand has around 6,000 data and digital systems, that is one for every 15 staff members," he told conference attendees. 

"That is the result of years of underinvestment, quick fixes instead of proper planning, which drives significant inefficiency across our health system."

The Minister said that investments will be made in a single Electronic Medical Record system across the health sector, enabling medical information to flow seamlessly and securely between GPs, specialists, and hospitals. 

Also, funding for remote patient monitoring to support earlier discharge, a national radiology system to prioritise urgent cases, and stronger cybersecurity to protect patient information.
Health New Zealand will release a procurement notice on GETS alongside the announcement regarding its investment plans.

"This is a completely new approach for Health New Zealand, tackling the kind of large, complex programmes that have failed in the past when governments have tried to do them alone," Brown said.

The centre will design investment cases for government consideration and drive delivery. It will include an AI Innovation group and a digital academy to build capability across the health workforce.

The 10-year investment pipeline will be delivered in three phases: stabilising critical systems so clinicians can rely on their tools, modernising platforms to improve efficiency, and enabling innovative care models that put patients first, he said.

Initial investments will focus on basic technology infrastructure, including faster network connectivity, properly functioning devices, single login systems to replace multiple passwords, and improved data security and cyber protection.

The organisation is already upgrading Wi-Fi and increasing device capability and availability to support the digital tools.

"This is not a plan written by consultants in Wellington, it has been written by doctors, nurses and allied health professionals who have told us what is needed to deliver better care," he said.

"We need to build a system which is focused on patients, on outcomes accountability, and we need to make sure we have the right technology to allow us to do that.”

Image: Health Minister Simeon Brown speaking at Digital Health Week NZ

To comment on or discuss this news story, go to the eHealthNews category on the HiNZ eHealth Forum

You’ve read this article for free, but good journalism takes time and resource to produce. Please consider supporting eHealthNews by becoming a member of HiNZ, for just $17 a month

Read more National Systems & Strategy news

Return to eHealthNews.nz home page

Technology developed during the Covid-19 pandemic has been extended to support the measles outbreak response and will expand to cover around 70 notifiable diseases in 2026.

At the core is the Notifiable Disease Management System (NDMS), alongside the Aotearoa Immunisation Register (AIR), Book My Vaccine, My Health Record, targeted text and email campaigns, public facing websites and a new integration which flags immunisation status in hospital clinical portals.

The NDMS evolved from the National Contact Tracing Solution and manages measles and Covid-19 cases through a platform accessible to public health teams nationwide.

Laboratory integration developed during the pandemic means the New Zealand Institute for Public Health and Forensic Science (formerly ESR) receives all measles notifications and sends them directly into the NDMS.

Ed Falloon, director applications and products, digital services, Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora says the system will expand to cover around 70 notifiable diseases next year.

“We have been working for some time now to ensure we have the technology to support outbreaks of disease in an end-to-end process," Falloon tells eHealthNews.

"Our aim is to bring all the other notifiable diseases on board in one delivery next year.”

More than 330 public health users logged into NDMS on November 11, showing its wide use across the country as part of responding to the current measles outbreak.

"It allows public health teams to be able to share the load across public health and people to be able to access data immediately, rather than go to a central team for information," Falloon explains.

My Health Record allows people to view their immunisation records and Book My Vaccine means people can book a vaccination online.

He says real-time vaccination record access for hospitals is enabled through an API integration connecting the AIR to hospital clinical portals. This allows clinicians to view patient vaccination history directly within their existing systems. 

It is currently live in the northern region, Te Manawa Taki and Te Waipounamu with rollout to other districts underway.

Health NZ has also enabled contact tracers to view people’s vaccination status in NDMS. 

Te Whatu Ora site - info.health.nz - recently won the best plain language website award for the public sector and has recorded hundreds of thousands of views since late September when the measles outbreak began.

Hear Ed Falloon speak at Digital Health Week NZ this November 24-27 in Ōtautahi Christchurch. Register today.

Image: Ed Falloon, director applications and products, digital services, Health NZ

To comment on or discuss this news story, go to the eHealthNews category on the HiNZ eHealth Forum

You’ve read this article for free, but good journalism takes time and resource to produce. Please consider supporting eHealthNews by becoming a member of HiNZ, for just $17 a month

Read more National Systems & Strategy news

Return to eHealthNews.nz home page

The Shared Digital Health Record service is being piloted with four early adopter general practices, with further roll-out to primary care planned from the start of 2026.

The pilot runs until January next year and is initially focused on collecting information from the patient record on allergies and intolerances, conditions and observations.

In the future the SDHR will also incorporate existing national data services for medicines, from the Medicines Data Repository, and immunisations, via the Aotearoa Immunisation Register.

Once launched, healthcare providers will be able to use their existing shared electronic health record system or clinical portal to access core patient information nationwide.

Heath Tolley, portfolio group manager, digital enablers and integration, says future developments will involve collecting information on patient encounters and clinical notes, but there is more work to be done in this space.

SDHR is an opt-out record: patients are automatically included, or they can choose to mark specific records as confidential, opt-out at a practice level, or request a national opt-out through Health NZ.

Tolley says recent focus group research shows many Kiwis either think this kind of sharing already exists or are supportive of it for direct patient care.

Practices must let patients know about the service and provide a minimum three-week opt-out period before beginning data collection and Health NZ has created information posters and brochures which are being trialled by the early adopter GPs.

Tolley says early feedback from pilot practices has been positive and is helping Health NZ with its messaging for different regions, which have different levels of information sharing already in place.

The national rollout to practices from early next year will be led by Primary Health Organisations (PHOs) and will involve Health NZ signing information sharing agreements with around 800 practice owners, covering the country's 1,200 - 1,300 general practices.

The aim is for a critical mass of adoption by June 2026 to allow the SDHR to go live through existing regional shared record systems such as HealthOne, Your Health Summary and indici SEHR.

"The focus is on building up the data set so there is critical mass of patient data available.

"The last thing we want is to release the service and a clinician go to access a patient’s shared record, but find there is nothing there."

Tolley says the service will be particularly useful for emergency and after-hours care providers, including telehealth, as they often do not have access to shared record systems.

He says the team has been working with practice management system vendors, to technically prepare for direct data sharing from their systems.

Hear more from Heath Tolley about the SDHR on Tuesday 25 November at Digital Health Week in Ōtautahi Christchurch. Check out the programme online and register today. 

To comment on or discuss this news story, go to the eHealthNews category on the HiNZ eHealth Forum

You’ve read this article for free, but good journalism takes time and resource to produce. Please consider supporting eHealthNews by becoming a member of HiNZ, for just $17 a month

Read more National Systems & Strategy news

Return to eHealthNews.nz home page

SECTOR UPDATE - Hon Judith Collins KC

A new platform to make it easier for Government agencies to issue secure digital credentials will be developed by New Zealand-based company MATTR, Digitising Government and Public Service Minister Judith Collins announced today. 

“This platform will be a shared service for government agencies and will be managed by the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA). It will allow agencies, such as Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and DIA, to issue digital credentials into the Government App which is currently being developed,” Ms Collins says.   

“There are many everyday tasks and activities that require you to share your personal details, such as date of birth or passport number. Often you’ll need to turn up in person or provide certified copies of physical documents, all of which takes time and can put your information at risk.  

“Government-accredited digital identity services will allow you to easily present credentials in a way that is safer, trusted and more secure. No one will be required to use digital identity services, but the Government App will make it convenient for those who choose to. 

“MBIE will be among the first agencies to use the new platform and as part of an initial trial will use it to issue New Zealand Business Number digital credentials. This business-friendly initiative will make it easier for company directors to prove their identity and authority when interacting with government and private sector services.  

“Building a single platform will reduce costs across the public sector, and ensure all agencies meet the same high standards for privacy and security. It will reduce paperwork and back-office administration.  

“This shared approach means government agencies can deliver better value for money and a faster, more consistent experience for everyone.   

“This is exactly the type of shared service we want to see more of throughout government agencies, as we work to get the best bang for buck for taxpayer dollars."

Source: Hon Judith Collins KC media release

Sector updates are provided by organisations to eHealthNews.nz and have not necessarily been edited or checked for accuracy. Any queries should be directed to the organisation issuing the release.

Do you have an item to add to sector updates?

Email your information to us at updates@hinz.org.nz

Return to eHealthNews.nz home page

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is developing a digital system that will allow disabled people to record their healthcare access requirements and enable the health system to collect disability data for the first time.

The Patient Profile National Health Index (PPNHI) project aims to address the lack of disability data in New Zealand's health system and the need for healthcare providers to understand people’s access needs before appointments.

"We have never as a system collected any kind of identifier within our health data that would say this person is disabled," says Leo Goldie-Anderson, chief advisor disability, Health NZ. 

"This means we essentially do not have disability data in the health system.” 

The NHI is a unique number assigned to everyone who uses health and disability services in New Zealand.

The new solution would create a digital interface where people can record their own access requirements.

"It could be things like "you have to send me a text message because I cannot answer the phone, I need a sign language interpreter, I need a quiet space to wait, or I need assistance to move around," Goldie-Anderson explains, adding that common accessibility barriers often prevent disabled people from accessing healthcare services.

Rachel Noble, head of disability, health, Health NZ, says that at the moment, the challenge of navigating the health system falls on disabled people themselves.

"PPNHI will give us not only visibility in being counted in the data, but what it also means is that our experiences with the health system should be more like everyone else's,” she tells eHealthNews.

Health NZ has completed two of four planned phases. The first was a technical proof of concept, while the second involved discovery and scoping work to finalise the approach to collecting both access profile information and administrative disability data.

The access profile questions have gone through initial testing with health system staff and community members.

For administrative data, the Health NZ team has worked with Statistics New Zealand, the Ministry of Health and Whaikaha to ensure an approach that meets best practice standards and various agency requirements.

"When we get this off the ground, it is going to become the only source of this kind of data in New Zealand," Goldie-Anderson says, in light of changes to the census from 2030.

People will not have to prove they are disabled to access the profile feature, which will be available to anyone who needs make access requests.

Noble says the project must work alongside a broader disability model of care.

"That is about building the capacity, adapting policies and processes and practices to ensure that the health services people are delivering will accommodate disabled people coming in,” she says.

To comment on or discuss this news story, go to the eHealthNews category on the HiNZ eHealth Forum

You’ve read this article for free, but good journalism takes time and resource to produce. Please consider supporting eHealthNews by becoming a member of HiNZ, for just $17 a month

Read more National Systems & Strategy news

Return to eHealthNews.nz home page

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora has kicked off a project to standardise oral health data and systems across the country, addressing years of fragmentation that prevents data sharing and equitable access to care.

The initiative, backed by the Oral Health Clinical Network, is initially focused on unifying operational code sets used in the Titanium patient management system, which has 19 different instances running nationwide.

Doug Healey, product owner for Titanium Oral Health at Health NZ, says the number of Titanium instances and inconsistent data standards means standardisation is a major challenge.

Regions having developed their own coding systems over time, so a tooth extraction might be coded as "001" in Tairawhiti, "ext" in Northland, or "##*" in Taranaki, he explains.

This means that oral health professionals cannot access patient information across different systems, creating problems when people move between areas.

"The biggest problem that clinicians have is that they cannot share patient information or track care across regions," Healey says. 

"Patients often lose their continuity of care when they move."

Healey says data quality issues also create problems with national reporting as duplicate patient records can be created because one patient appears on multiple system instances.

The project team has collected all operational code sets across the country in just two weeks, a task initially estimated to take a year, which involved visiting clinicians and hospitals nationwide to gather the information.

All of these codes are now going to be mapped to the Australian Dental Association (ADA) standards to create consistency.

Healey says that 38 percent of existing codes already map to the ADA standards, with around half capable of being remapped. 

Eight clinicians from across the country have volunteered to participate in a nationwide working group to review and align the remaining code sets. 

This seven-week process starts this month – November 2025 – and will involve looking at around 10,000 lines of coding data in a shared digital environment.

Once codes are standardised, oral health information can start feeding into the Health Data Platform. 
Healey says getting high quality consistent national data will help tell the story of oral health across the motu and highlight inequities in care delivery and access that can then be addressed.

In the future, the plan is also to standardise onto four regional instances of Titanium. 

To comment on or discuss this news story, go to the eHealthNews category on the HiNZ eHealth Forum

You’ve read this article for free, but good journalism takes time and resource to produce. Please consider supporting eHealthNews by becoming a member of HiNZ, for just $17 a month

Read more National Systems & Strategy news

Return to eHealthNews.nz home page

SECTOR UPDATE - Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora 

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is in negotiations with PMS suppliers (MedTech, Valentia, MyPractice and IntraHealth) to enter into new statements of work to support the GP2GP stabilisation work.

It is anticipated that PMS suppliers will prioritise implementing the latest version of GP2GP into their applications, once these agreements are finalised. Following this, they would work with us on implementing further stabilisation activities.

HealthLink will soon enable a feature which will allow larger files, up to 50MB, to be transferred over their network. HealthLink, Health NZ and the PMS suppliers will need to work collaboratively on implementing this new feature before it can be used by practices. Allowing larger files to be transferred between PMS systems will reduce the need for practice staff to manually break up files for a patient transfer.

When the GP2GP stabilisation activities are completed across the PMS applications, practices will start seeing improved reliability and safety – . fewer data inconsistencies and errors, less need for manual intervention in managing file sizes, and regular testing to ensure ongoing stability of the GP2GP service. This requires a team effort from Health NZ, PMS suppliers and HealthLink. 

Source: Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora media release

Sector updates are provided by organisations to eHealthNews.nz and have not necessarily been edited or checked for accuracy. Any queries should be directed to the organisation issuing the release.

Do you have an item to add to sector updates?

Email your information to us at updates@hinz.org.nz

Return to eHealthNews.nz home page

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora will be responsible for procuring medical devices that have high integration requirements with facilities and models of care, as part of a new two-agency approach to procurement announced by the government.

Under the plan, Pharmac will assess and procure devices with a direct therapeutic impact on patients, which often need a high level of clinical input.

Associate Health Minister David Seymour and Health Minister Simeon Brown say that after 13 years of paralysis over device procurement, this new approach will be more efficient, more certain, and more transparent.

Medical Technology Association NZ (MTANZ) chief executive Cushla Smyth says the decision delivers much-needed clarity, certainty, and accountability, but further detail is needed to fully understand where the challenges and opportunities may lie.

“The next priority will be the transition, where further detail and a clear mechanism for feedback will be essential to help shape the new processes,” she tells eHealthNews.

“Our hope is to work closely with the agencies to help mitigate challenges and maximise the benefits.”

The government says the new approach recognises that both Health NZ and Pharmac are best suited to managing and procuring certain devices, but will also work together.

If Health NZ was looking at new MRI machines, Pharmac would provide a high-quality Health Technology Assessment to inform the procurement process

“We have clearly split the categories to provide certainty for medical device manufacturers,” says Seymour. 

“This allows them to confidently invest in innovation because they know what agency is responsible for their devices.”

Brown says Health NZ spends nearly $1.5 billion each year on medical devices.

“Health New Zealand is best placed to lead procurement for devices that are less therapeutic but have higher integration requirements with facilities and models of care – such as hospital beds, diagnostic machines, and imaging equipment,” he says.

Seymour told the MTANZ conference in June this year that he favoured Pharmac over Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora for device purchasing, saying that while either entity could perform well, "Pharmac would be a little bit better."

The decision ends an 18-month review process in which both Health NZ and Pharmac made cases for why they should do device procurement.

Image: Associate Health Minister David Seymour and Health Minister Simeon Brown

To comment on or discuss this news story, go to the eHealthNews category on the HiNZ eHealth Forum

You’ve read this article for free, but good journalism takes time and resource to produce. Please consider supporting eHealthNews by becoming a member of HiNZ, for just $17 a month

Read more National Systems & Strategy news

Return to eHealthNews.nz home page

The National Public Health Service has developed a modern data warehouse that automates reporting and has cut immunisation query times from weeks to minutes. 

The NPHS Intelligence national manager improvement and performance, Becky Cassie says the new data warehouse, built on Snowflake technology, brings together previously siloed datasets to provide a more comprehensive view of public health information across the motu. 

Cassie, who is presenting on the programme of work at Digital Health Week NZ this November, explains that rather than simply storing raw data, the system creates ‘analytical ready datasets’ that enable automation of regular analyses as well as easy exploration.  

"We have automated a large part of how we present our balanced scorecards to monitor performance, including our NPHS highest level metrics and our health target indicators as well," Cassie says. 

"It previously took weeks to answer simple questions like, how many 18-month-olds in Dannevirke were immunised in March last year? Now it takes six or seven minutes”. 

The warehouse already holds key National Public Health Service datasets including the Aotearoa Immunisation Register, notifiable disease management systems, and various screening registers.  

Other datasets, such as alcohol premises licensing data, will be included as well. 

Cassie says the efficiency gains have freed up analysts to focus on more complex work, including forecasting and deeper analysis of immunisation patterns.  

The aim is to shift the mahi towards predictive modelling that could identify early indicators for positive health outcomes, as opposed to reporting what has already happened.  

The NPHS is also planning to provide roles-based access for staff, rather than granting access to specific datasets. 

"We are trying to apply a model where you should access the data you need to do your job, which could change day-to-day,” she says. 

Future plans include working closely with clinical advisors to make data more accessible to healthcare professionals. 

“We want to get clinicians seeing what data is available for themselves, and directly working with analysts on how they can use it to solve a problem” says Cassie. 

Hear Becky Cassie speak at Digital Health Week this November 24-27, 2025 at Te Pae in Ōtautahi Christchurch. Register to attend here. 

Read more about the work of NPHS in this view from director of intelligence, Juliet Rumball-Smith.

To comment on or discuss this news story, go to the eHealthNews category on the HiNZ eHealth Forum

You’ve read this article for free, but good journalism takes time and resource to produce. Please consider supporting eHealthNews by becoming a member of HiNZ, for just $17 a month

Read more National Systems & Strategy news

Return to eHealthNews.nz home page

The government plans to centralise digital investment and procurement decision-making within the Government Chief Digital Officer (GCDO), aiming to save up to $3.6 billion over  five years.

The chief executive of the Digital Health Association (DHA) says creating a centralised capability for common applications will provide value for money, but it is important to recognise that health has unique application needs.

Minister for digitising government Judith Collins presented the proposal to Cabinet in August, seeking approval to change how government agencies invest in and procure technology solutions.

The government estimates potential savings of 15 to 30 per cent from its $13 billion five-year digital investment pipeline, equating to between $1.2 billion and $3.6 billion over five years by adopting modern digital practices.

"A coordinated, efficient approach to digital government can deliver significant performance and efficiency gains for public services," Collins says in the Cabinet paper. 

"However, the government continues to procure high-cost ICT solutions that take years to deliver and often deliver poor quality outcomes."

Under the new system, the GCDO will operate as the government's chief technology officer and be responsible for lowering overall ICT costs whilst supporting better digital services. 

The role will involve developing and maintaining a Digital Government target state, directing central decision-making over agencies' investment and procurement, and procuring ICT on behalf of most agencies.

The minister says the current fragmented approach means agencies procure high-cost ICT solutions in silos and compete with each other for digital skills and capability.

"This creates wasteful duplication and disconnected systems, misses the opportunity to achieve significant economies of scale, wastes resources, and drives up costs," the cabinet paper says.

Treasury data shows 59 per cent of core digital projects are behind schedule and 85 per cent of digital investment in the planning and delivery stages are rated "high risk."

Stella Ward, DHA chief executive, says having a centralised capability for purchasing common applications will enable better value for money due to the combined buying power of government. 

“It will be essential to have strong digitally relevant leadership and expectations set for good clear architecture and standards adoption such as FHIR APIs to provide more interoperability across government systems for elements such as identity,” she says.

However, Ward says it will also be important to recognise that health has unique application needs such as electronic health records, medicines management and specialist systems, such as radiology, oncology and genomics.

This means health will need a mandate to be able to procure these systems to avoid unnecessary bureaucracy which can be costly in both time and money.

“We also need to ensure we provide a mechanism for innovation to come from within the New Zealand data and digital sector to support local solutions, economic growth and export potential,” she tells eHealthNews.

The proposal presented to Cabinet includes exemptions for large agencies with significant capability, who will continue to administer their own procurement functions under GCDO guidance, and for specialised systems such as Defence.

Implementation will be phased, starting with the GCDO reporting to Cabinet in December 2025 with a Digital Government target state supported by a three-year programme of annual priorities, targets, and milestones.

Image: Minister for digitising government Judith Collins

To comment on or discuss this news story, go to the eHealthNews category on the HiNZ eHealth Forum

You’ve read this article for free, but good journalism takes time and resource to produce. Please consider supporting eHealthNews by becoming a member of HiNZ, for just $17 a month

Read more National Systems & Strategy news

Return to eHealthNews.nz home page

The Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora 10-year Digital Investment Plan will be finalised before the end of the year and the organisation’s digital services restructure is also nearly complete, the acting director of health strategy and design says.

Jean Fleming told the Tech Users Summit in Auckland this month that Health NZ expects to finalise the plan before the end of 2025.

The Digital Investment Plan (DIP) aims to modernise the country's healthcare infrastructure, addressing years of fragmented investment that have left systems outdated and underfunded

Health Minister Simeon Brown says the plan will outline the next 10 years of investment needed “to be able to give confidence to our public health system around what is required to make a real difference”.

The DIP’s creation was announced in June 2024 when former minister of health Shane Reti said that he would consider new investment in data and digital later that year as part of a new 10-year plan setting out the size and scale of investment needed for digital infrastructure.

Fleming said, "we cannot sustainably improve health outcomes, lift productivity or enable new models of care without robust, resilient digital infrastructure. It is as simple, but yet as complex as that."

She told the summit - hosted by the Tech Users Association NZ and Digital Health Association – that the DIP focuses on a three-year rolling investment plan with funding attached and annual reviews to stay responsive.

She said Health NZ spent just 2.6 per cent of its operating costs on digital services in 2024, which is well below international benchmarks of between four and eight per cent, and that underinvestment has left the organisation with a digital infrastructure that is "no longer fit for purpose" in many places.

The plan focuses on seven key investment areas  and includes targeted investment in high-priority clinical areas such as radiology, cancer and mental health.

"The scope of this focus area will adjust as business and government priorities develop," Fleming said.

She told attendees that stabilisation, modernisation and innovation will all be happening at the same time.

"That is the reality of working in our complex system: we need to shore up what is fragile, modernise what is outdated and create space for innovation all in parallel,” she said.

The organisation is exploring various funding options, including reprioritising within baseline budgets, adjusting capital and operating expenditure profiles, considering alternative funding and financing mechanisms, and seeking future government investments.

The health minister told the New Zealand Private Surgical Hospitals Association Conference on September 18 that there are 6000 data systems in use at Health New Zealand. 

“There is one for every 16 people, so that is a big problem,” he told attendees.

Brown said that when DHBs were amalgamated to create Health NZ, the IT systems were not centralised.

“There is an enormous amount of work needed around data, digital, financial, operating systems, patient records, to make sure that we can get maximum efficiency out of health New Zealand,” he told the conference.

"We are working on a digital investment plan… which will outline the next 10 years of investment required to be able to give confidence to our public health system around what is required to make that real difference, and a lot of that is about productivity."

Fleming said the Digital Investment Plan is coordinated with the Health Infrastructure Plan for physical infrastructure and the Health Technology Plan covering clinical equipment, enabling a a shift toward unified decision-making after years of fragmented investment.

Health New Zealand's digital services restructure, which began in mid-2024, is also nearly finished and aligns with four regions, each with its own dedicated digital director.

Hear more about the DIP and from the health minister at Digital Health Week 2025 this November 24-27 in Ōtautahi Christchurch. Register today.

Image: Jean Fleming, acting director of health strategy and design, speaking at the Tech Users Summit in Auckland on September 10, 2025

To comment on or discuss this news story, go to the eHealthNews category on the HiNZ eHealth Forum

You’ve read this article for free, but good journalism takes time and resource to produce. Please consider supporting eHealthNews by becoming a member of HiNZ, for just $17 a month

Read more National Systems & Strategy news

Return to eHealthNews.nz home page

A new research institute focused on commercialising emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, and synthetic biology will be housed in Auckland under a ‘hub and spoke model’, science, innovation and technology Minister Shane Reti says.

Speaking at the TUANZ and DHA Tech Users Summit 2025 in Auckland on September 10, Reti said the  government is investing $231 million in the Advanced Technology Institute over four years.

Its creation is part of broader science system reforms that have already consolidated seven Crown Research Institutes into three Public Research Organisations (PROs), with this as the fourth.

"The purpose is to back science and tech that can shape New Zealand's future industries, build science and grow talent in emerging technologies and to drive economic growth by turning innovation into real world products and businesses," Reti told the summit.

The institute will operate under a hub and spoke model with its headquarters in Auckland. The first spoke has already been announced, partnering with Robinson's Research Institute, with $70 million over seven years supporting cryogenic superconducting, materials and magnet physics.

The three existing PROs are the Bioeconomy Science Institute, which combines AgResearch, Landcare, Scion and Plant and Food; Earth Sciences New Zealand, incorporating GNS, NIWA and soon MetService; and the New Zealand Institute for Public Health and Forensic Science, formerly ESR.

Reti described the amalgamation process as a success and that, unlike other government restructures, the Crown research institutes were "willing actors" who could see the benefits of collaboration.

The minister told the Tech Users Summit that all public research organisations depend on fast and efficient digital infrastructure, and this requirement is particularly crucial for the new Advanced Technology Institute.

He said recent funding announcements show the Government's commitment to technology and digital innovation, including $183 million in the latest Endeavour Fund round.

"Many if not most of the 19 multi-year multi-million dollar projects I announced will also use AI and all are deeply dependent on technology and digital infrastructure," Reti told the audience.

One of these projects is looking at creating a rapid, low-cost diagnostic platform for multiple uses including early detection of diseases like Alzheimer’s and multi-drug screening for workplaces and roadside testing. 

The Endeavour Fund has also approved funding for 47 Smart Ideas with five related to health technology. 

These include; cardiac point-of-care diagnostics; 3D-printed Bioscaffolds for directional neurite outgrowth after spinal cord injury; innovative pressure-sensing technology for medtech smart wearables; networking implantable medical devices; and a novel electrochemical sensor platform for measuring toxic iron in serum.

Reti said the New Zealand's first artificial intelligence strategy signals New Zealand’s readiness to harness AI opportunities with a proportionate, risk-based regulatory approach. 

"Regulating AI based on hypothetical uses or harms, risks overregulation and can stifle innovation. We believe that regulation should enable, not inhibit," he said.

"Science, technology and the digital world is currently a highlight area of intellectual endeavour and economic growth for me and I invite you all to buckle in for what is going to be a heck of a ride.”

Image: Science, innovation and technology Minister Shane Reti Speaking at the TUANZ and DHA Tech Users Summit 2025

To comment on or discuss this news story, go to the eHealthNews category on the HiNZ eHealth Forum

You’ve read this article for free, but good journalism takes time and resource to produce. Please consider supporting eHealthNews by becoming a member of HiNZ, for just $17 a month

Read more National Systems & Strategy news

Return to eHealthNews.nz home page

The national Shared Digital Health Record (SDHR) service will now go live in mid-2026, following an early adopter pilot planned for late 2025.

The service was originally due to go live in June of this year but this was pushed back until December 2025 to give more time for engagement with primary care providers and patients.

The latest update from Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora says the new proposed timeline is for a national launch in mid-2026 with an early adopter pilot in late 2025 and practice information sharing to start in early-mid 2026. 

The update describes SDHR as a “clinical data connector (data service) that will expand the the coverage of data to regionally based Shared Electronic Health Records like HealthOne and Your Health Summary.

“Think of Shared Digital Health Record as a clinical data connector, or the plumbing, that will allow patients’ health information to flow to the point of care, such as visiting another healthcare provider that is not their usual GP,” it says. 

Health NZ says feedback from recent focus groups with GPs and patient interviews showed support for the service, with many patients “surprised that their health information is not already available nationwide”.

Feedback focused on the need for clear, simple messaging, greater explanation of technical terminology, and rigorous privacy safeguards. 

“Privacy is a key concern and there must be rigorous controls in place to protect sensitive information and who can access it,” the update says.

“Your PMS remains the source of truth for your patients’ data. Your workflow and the systems you use remains the same.”

The early adopter pilot will start in late 2025, where selected practices will test information-sharing processes. From early to mid-2026, practices nationwide, who choose to participate, will be supported to contribute data, ahead of the full national rollout.

Once launched next year, healthcare providers, such as general practice, telehealth, urgent and emergency care, will be able to use their existing Shared Electronic Health Records or clinical portal to access core patient information nationwide, the update says.

GenPro chief executive Mark Liddle says his impression is that the view of GPs on the SDHR is mixed, with South Island GPs generally more open to it because of their long-term use of the HealthOne shared record.

He says concerns remain around privacy, data use and access, and many GPs may choose to wait and see rather than be early adopters.

To comment on or discuss this news story, go to the eHealthNews category on the HiNZ eHealth Forum

You’ve read this article for free, but good journalism takes time and resource to produce. Please consider supporting eHealthNews by becoming a member of HiNZ, for just $17 a month

Read more National Systems & Strategy news

Return to eHealthNews.nz home page

For too long, our health system has been built on paternalism: the idea that the system knows best, while patients wait passively for instructions. 

That model might have worked in a health service world made of episodic illnesses, but it is hopelessly outdated in a world of ageing population, with increased chronic disease, multimorbidity, where we have medicalisation of social issues and the rising demand we face today. 

Here are my ideas of the building blocks to enable this transformation.

Continuity by default

When people do need to use the health system, care must default to continuity, which is not just a series of episodic encounters. Every consult should build on the last, with full access to the patient’s evolving story. 

This is where value is created: relationships, context, and trust leads to speed and efficiency.  Episodic care without continuity is not just inefficient, it is unsafe.

The evidence: continuity + open notes

The international research is clear: continuity of care lowers mortality, reduces hospitalisations, improves adherence, and boosts satisfaction. In one BMJ review, patients with continuous primary care had up to 25 percent lower mortality than those without. 

Meanwhile, open notes - now mandated in the US - improves trust, medication adherence, and patient engagement, while reducing diagnostic errors. In short: patients do better when they are trusted, informed, and connected.

Build a national “pull” data grid

Every health record available even if it doesn’t live in one secure place, always up-to-date, in a portal for all providers to view, and granular data that can be pulled into any clinical system as needed. Accept a hybrid federation model is inevitable, so plan for both.

This needs to be in a standard layout but in a flexible UI. Each provider must be able to view and filter - in patient and clinical context - tasks, recalls, cohort management and decision support, without duplication.

Patients can access and contribute anytime. This is not just a list of events but includes patient goals and wearable data and context.

Patient empowerment with digital tools

The future is not AI as a backbone, but AI and all digital tools enabling patients to steer their own health. The tools only come after we understand the problem to solved but are likely to include

• Validated symptom checkers, chatbot triage, home monitoring, personalised plans, and journaling platforms all shift agency back to the patient.
• Automated coaching tools help people adjust in real-time, with clinicians as guides rather than gatekeepers.

Imagine patients self-managing blood pressure medication at home, adjusting within safe guardrails set by their provider. Algorithms support daily decisions, flag outliers, and escalate when needed — confidence for the patient, oversight for the clinician.  Safety nets built in: results unreviewed within 48 hours go straight to patients.

“AI as co-pilot” for clinicians and patients

AI should not be a gimmick but an embedded support in everyday care. In clinical hands, its strength is pattern recognition and sequence matching: surfacing missed signals across notes, labs, and imaging, and embedding open evidence directly into the work flow as just in time knowledge. Instead of more clicking, it quietly augments judgement.

For patients, AI extends empowerment with safety rails. BP self-management is just the start: diabetes care, asthma plans, even post-op recovery can be scaffolded by AI prompts and monitoring, all while clinicians stay informed. 

This is partnership, not paternalism.

Hyper-local community hubs

Build bigger local health teams that include different types of professionals, with leadership coming from the community itself. Make social care, mental health, and family support a standard part of care, not an afterthought. 

Make it easy for health providers to share messages and hand over care smoothly, centred on the patient, not blocked by the walls between different organisations And instead of using blunt rules or age cut-offs to decide who gets help, trust local providers to manage budgets and make decisions based on real needs.

Each hub tracks and manages population health, shifting from reactive firefighting to proactive prevention. No need to re-invent the wheel here, as there is infrastructure in place.

Outcome-focused funding - not activity-focused

Fund outcomes, not transactions. Reward providers who keep people healthy and out of hospital.

Continuous feedback and live dashboards

A national, public-facing “Health System Fitbit” shows live data on equity, access, and outcomes. Patients and communities help steer improvements, not just politicians and executives.

Why I Care

I have seen too many people slip through the cracks in South Auckland, and I have seen families in rural areas with no safety net. 

In our stretched, budget restricted, value-based system, we cannot afford duplication, yet multiple departments reinvent their way for remote monitoring instead of treating it like a basic service, as normal as say ordering blood tests or imaging. 

These are not abstract system failures, they are lived inequities I encounter every week.

It is also why I chose to be a specialist vocational General Practitioner in my own health field of medicine. I was inspired by patients and doctors who saw health in its full, holistic sense - patient-centred and whole-person care. That vision is possible in hospital environments, but never easy. 

In general practice, it is the everyday work, and it remains the most powerful platform for continuity, equity, and trust.

The bottom line

We cannot wait for more pilots or endless white papers. We need a leap:

• Self-care first, system care second.
• Data available, shared, and used for patients, not funder policing.
• Patient empowerment as the organising principle.
• Outcome-driven, not activity-addicted.

If we do not act boldly, we will drown in our own demand. If we do, we can become the first country where digital and human care truly work as one, and not just on conference slides.

Three times the demand is coming. We need one bold epic plan. Zero excuses.

Read more VIEWS

Return to eHealthNews.nz home page

The New Zealand Health Plan positions digital as a key enabler of the health system, but the Auditor-General has criticised it for not fully meeting the requirements of the Pae Ora Act.

The Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora document has been tabled in parliament and sets the direction for the health sector’s digital and data journey until June 2027. 

“Enablers are the key parts of the health system that make it possible to provide care and treatment,” it says. 

“They include our workforce, buildings including hospitals, and the technology and digital platforms our staff use to provide timely and quality health care.” 

The New Zealand Health Plan builds on the interim Te Pae Tata plan and aligns with the Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Health 2024–2027 and was developed under the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022.

However Auditor-General John Ryan says in a ‘disclaimer of opinion’ included in the publication that while it identifies desired health outcomes, priorities, and targets, it lacks a clear explanation of how proposed actions were selected or how they will achieve those goals. 

The plan also fails to provide a fully costed approach to publicly funded services, with insufficient detail on service demand, resource needs, and forecast costs, Ryan says.

The new Health Plan acknowledges the health system’s fragmented and ageing technology, and says “clinical and non-clinical services that are well supported by data and digital services are essential to improve health services. 

“Our aim is to modernise and improve our health data and digital platforms, processes and standards," it says.

According to the plan, year one will see the agreement of a long-term investment strategy for digital modernisation and expansion of specialist care at home using digital tools to reduce hospital admissions.

eHealthNews reported in April 2025 that Health NZ’s Digital Investment Plan would be released ‘later this year’, despite it previously being due in late 2024.

The plan says that over the first two years, data services will be enhanced to improve access for planning, reporting, and integrated care delivery. 

By year three, patients will have more digital options to access and manage their own health information, and public radiology services will be upgraded to ensure national reporting and stable platforms.

“Future planning includes enabling access to services that are closer to home, and expanding the use of digital, telehealth and prevention services,” it says in relation to rural communities.

One of the ‘output measures’ will be improvements in the clinical digital and physical infrastructure and specific measures are; First Specialist Assessment and follow up outpatient appointments delivered via telehealth; and increased access to My Health Record, it says.

Read it online here.

To comment on or discuss this news story, go to the eHealthNews category on the HiNZ eHealth Forum

You’ve read this article for free, but good journalism takes time and resource to produce. Please consider supporting eHealthNews by becoming a member of HiNZ, for just $17 a month

Read more National Systems & Strategy news

Return to eHealthNews.nz home page

The NHS recently released its Fit for the Future: 10 Year Health Plan for England. This View compares their digital approach with New Zealand’s Health Strategy.   

This tale of two countries delivers different views on much the same thing: How a country fires up its health system to engage in the future while standing on the shoulders of giants from the past. 

Society is at a tipping point where artificial intelligence (AI) is pushing us into a digital-first world, triggering the fourth industrial revolution (remember the printer that started the first one, and steam trains that introduce the second, and the Internet of Things for the third?). 

Both countries’ strategies are vested in transformative change, i.e., significant ways in which our respective health systems become different to meet 21st century health needs. Will digital do it by default (UK) or by serving values and culture (NZ)?  

Health system priorities  

When reading these two strategies side by side, I was struck by their similarities. They both aim to improve equity and health outcomes. They both want to start the changes where the need is greatest. 

Te Pae Ora Act (2022) laid the foundation for structural changes in New Zealand, and a combination of legislation and the 10 Year Health Plan have laid the England NHS foundation.  What is striking is their different takes on the role of digital technologies, skills, capabilities and capacity as can be seen in this table. 

The England plan layers financial commitment and benefits into every priority, while the NZ strategy is silent on investment.  

Health care is about people 

Our two countries have different and similar population profiles. NZ (with a population of just over five million) does not have the same capacity to scale up digital implementations that the UK has (with a population just over 68 million). 

Culture and values matter in NZ, with a commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, resulting in a different strategic gaze. The two strategies agree that people need help to be well, avoid illness, and get well, and preventative health via digital technologies plays a role in the survival of a universal healthcare system.  

The UK emphasises ‘digital by default’ assuming that patients and healthcare professionals should move from analogue to digital for survival. NZ has emphasised voice (people) that supports and represents the future of communities, cultures, and safe access to, use, and provision of health services. 

Neither document fully addresses the effect of digitisation on invisible people (disabled people, neurodiverse people, those with difficulties using devices, and those struggling with life in general). 

Both imply seamless information flows within and among different organisations, but neither addresses the elephant in the room – interoperability. Both emphasise innovation (yes, NZ is a nation of innovators, long live innovation) and they each indicate a mechanism for commercial collaboration for digital design and implementation.  

A future workforce 

I am disappointed to see the emphasis on doctors in the England strategy, and little acknowledgement of the diversity of healthcare professionals. The NZ strategy acknowledges a broader range of professionals and goes further by indicating that new roles will emerge for which educators and the health system in general must constantly respond to. 

Both strategies cover leadership in a range of settings, but the UK has the courage to ‘out’ poor leadership and indicates ways to reward and address excellent and poor leadership respectively. 

It is not enough to equip healthcare professionals (typically doctors, nurses and allied health professionals) to use digital tools as part of everyday work, e.g., robotics, ambient and scribing AI, genomics, and predictive and preventive analytics. What is missing is the digital health specialist workforce and the workforce that keeps the computers running so that clinicians can do their work. 

The emerging digital health specialist workforce provides expertise spanning the past and the future, makes innovations implementable, provides data science services, and evaluates strategy successes and failures. The England plan includes transparent quality improvement, which implies evaluation resulting in improvement responses.   

In conclusion, since these documents are strategies, it is our obligation as implementers and leaders to fill in the blanks, add detail, design implementation plans, and evaluate achievements. 

Emphasising digitisation (UK plan), or not (NZ), creates a pipedream if politics and insufficient financial investment get in the way.  

Image: Karen Day, Fellow of HiNZ and senior lecturer health systems, School of Population Health, Auckland University 

Read more VIEWS

Return to eHealthNews.nz home page