Podcast discusses digital and data as critical enabler

Podcast discusses digital and data as critical enabler of health reforms

Data and digital are foundational to New Zealand’s health reforms, identified as one of five key shifts to be delivered, as well as being an enabler of the other four shifts.

Deputy director general data and digital, Shayne Hunter, and lead policy advisor digital and data in the Transition Unit, Emily Mailes, discuss the critical role of data and digital in NZ's health reforms in the latest episode of podcast series eHealth Talk.

Hunter says there needs to be a shift towards seeing data and digital as a value investment that is key to the health system delivering better outcomes and being more affordable and sustainable, rather than seeing it as a cost.

Mailes says digital services and technology are one of the five key shifts identified in the reforms, as well as being “foundational in realising the other shifts, whether that be about providing more support to people in their communities or that healthcare workers are satisfied in their job, digital and data play a key role.

“That's recognised from the Transition Unit, the Ministry of Health and by the Minister himself.”

Mailes says a step change in maturity is required, “in part because there has been a history of underinvestment in digital and data and there's some elements where we're catching up and need to address gaps and risks before we can continue to innovate”.

Hunter says funding models and procurement are key challenges to achieving the step change needed in this space and changing the culture is also important.

“This is about the system embracing working differently and embracing using technology: getting people to think about the patient and the consumer, as that is what this is really all about,” he says.

Mailes says the Transition Unit is aware of the barriers to transformation and is looking into ways they can be addressed, through policy, legislation or system settings, and thinking differently about ways of working.

It is also working with Treasury and other stakeholder groups on funding and incentive structures to encourage the adoption of digital services and standards.

“If we can look at the Better Business Case process and make it work better for digital programs, then we can more easily shift to newer, more intuitive and agile ways of delivering programs, which Shayne's team at the Ministry has proven, particularly during the Covid period,” she says.

“There's certainly hope and signs that some of these barriers are beginning to be removed.”

Hunter says the new national structures, Health NZ and the Māori Health Authority, will help spread innovation nationally, but to accelerate progress “we need to empower those closest to the coalface”.

“There are some things that we can do at the centre, such as delivering key enablers and creating the environment for the system to progress the pace of innovation, but if we try and own it and control it all at the national level, I think we will actually slow it down,” he says.

Hunter also says pausing investment in data and digital while the new structures are put in place would create risks in terms of loss of progress and for attracting and retaining talent.

Mailes agrees saying, “we've got an amazing digital health workforce that we really need to retain and grow, and if we were to pause investment, we will potentially lose great people, or they won't be learning new skills in the interim”.

eHealth Talk podcasts are available on the HiNZ website, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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