Clinicians Challenge highlights IT innovation

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman has congratulated the winners of a challenge to find innovative information and technology solutions to improve healthcare.

“The Clinicians’ Challenge encourages health professionals to find ways technology can make a difference to the health of New Zealanders as well as improve their day-to-day practice,” says Dr Coleman.

“It’s great to see clinicians finding better use of information and technology to deliver more timely quality patient care which can enable clinicians to spend more time with patients and less on administration.

“We want to see more healthcare delivered in the community and people living healthier lives away from hospitals. Utilising technology has a key role to play in this.”

Dr James McKelvie, Senior Registrar, Waikato DHB, won the new ideas category for his electronic referral, risk assessment and real-time audit of cataract surgery initiative.

Dr Hong Sheng Chiong, OIphthalmology Registrar, Gisborne Hospital, won the active project/development category for his oDocs Eye Care initiative which utilises mobile technology to increase access to ophthalmic care.

Both winners will receive $8,000 to continue developing their initiatives.

The two runners-up who will each receive $2,000 are:

• Dr Lance O’Sullivan, a GP in Kaitaia and 2014 New Zealander of the Year, who presented vMOKO, an initiative that uses mobile technology to remotely diagnose and treat skin conditions in schools in the Far North.
• Rob Ticehurst, Principal Pharmacist, Auckland DHB, who proposed a joined up system to manage patient risks associated with medication allergies.

There were a total of 66 entries in this year’s Clinicians’ Challenge - a joint initiative by the National Health IT Board and Health Informatics New Zealand.

The awards were presented last night at the Health Informatics New Zealand conference in Christchurch.