New service to provide support for regional clinical IT systems

The regional IT support service is an additional layer of assistance for central region DHBs.

Central region DHBs – Capital & Coast, Hutt Valley, Wairarapa, Whanganui, MidCentral, and Hawkes Bay – have co-developed a suite of shared computer systems. These systems will centralise the acquisition, storage, retrieval, and use of patient information across the DHBs.

“Patients sometimes go to hospitals in other regions. Health professionals need to be able to access a patient’s medical records regardless of which DHB they belong to,” said chief information officer Shayne Hunter.

“By having the most up to date information about the patient – including any illnesses, or medications they may be on – health care professionals can provide care that is consistent with what they’ve been receiving from their own DHB.”

Each DHB maintains its local part of the shared computer systems, with the team based at Capital & Coast DHB providing the regional support service for problems they can’t fix locally.

“We’re well-placed to provide the service because we, as a three DHB service – across Capital & Coast, Hutt Valley and Wairarapa – already have experience working across multiple organisations.

“These shared systems being used today represent part of a $65 million investment across the DHBs toward ensuring we can all remain linked up, and give all our patients the best quality joined-up care across the central region.”

Media contact: Chas Te Runa – 027 230 9571