New Zealand’s national health information platform project has been put on hold after digital health funding was cut.
In a statement to Healthcare IT NewsMichael Dreyer, director of Digital Channels at Te Whatu Ora (Health New Zealand), confirmed that the Hira project had been suspended.
“After completing the first phase of Hira and creating a solid foundation for the project, the project is currently on hold while we consider our plans for the future.”
He said Hira would form part of Te Whatu Ora’s 10-year infrastructure investment plan, which is currently being developed. The plan could be announced later this year, based on newsletter
THE BIGGER CONTEXT
The New Zealand government recently decided The government is reserving around NZ$300 million ($200 million) for digital health initiatives over the next four years, including Hira. This also includes funding for free telehealth services offered through advocacy group the New Zealand Telehealth Forum. The savings come as the government doubles down on efforts to improve frontline services in Budget 2024.
Since 2021, the government has invested nearly NZ$1 billion (more than $600 million) in improving the health system’s digital and data infrastructure and capabilities.
The digital health budget cuts also come as Te Whatu Ora decides to slowing the expansion of health IT to focus on “more robust” platforms and the transition to the cloud. In a press conference with Health Minister Dr Shane Reti last year, the agency revealed that the health system had a “mess” of more than 4,000 clinical and business applications, many of which were either past their prime or nearing their end of life and were racking up debt.
“We recognize both the disparate data and digital systems challenges inherited from previous entities, as well as the huge potential of digital services to improve healthcare delivery,” Dreyer told the publication.
The first phase of Hira’s rollout concluded in June. It is now providing access to health information on My Health Record, including details on the National Health Index and vaccination records. A national event management service is also in operation, providing near-real-time notifications of fatal events. The project has also developed a connectivity plane to access the Hira API and a developer portal to test the API.
Hira has also taken the first steps to allow access to information about Prescribed and dispensed medications and primary care summary.
