Hon Tony Ryall
Minister of Health

17 June 2013 Media Statement
Call for clinicians to develop IT solutions to improve health services

Health Minister Tony Ryall is encouraging health professionals to take part in the fourth annual Clinicians’ Challenge to develop IT solutions to improve health services.

“The Clinicians’ Challenge is a chance for health professionals and IT vendors to work together to identify and solve issues health professionals face in their day-to-day practice using innovative information technology,” says Mr Ryall.

“The winning clinician receives funding of up to $10,000 to go towards professional development or to further grow their IT solution.

“Janet Liang, an intensive care specialist from North Shore Hospital and 2011 winner, has developed a tablet based language interpreter system which is expected to be released later this year.

“The interpreter system will translate simple questions and directions so patients can be better examined, such as take a deep breath, please sit up and where is your pain? It also allows the patient to communicate back to the clinician. Languages include Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese Chinese, Korean, Samoan and Tongan.

“This system will improve communication with patients, particularly in emergency situations when there is often not the time to organise interpreters. It also highlights how health services can be improved by clinicians and IT vendors working together,” says Mr Ryall

The Clinicians’ Challenge is run each year by the Ministry of Health’s National Health IT Board, Health Informatics New Zealand, and the New Zealand Health IT Cluster.

Entries can be submitted online before 2 August 2013 on the Health Informatics New Zealand website: www.hinz.org.nz/page/conference/conference-2013-challenge

ENDS

© Scoop Media