DHBs roll out new national maternity IT system

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman has welcomed the rollout of a new national IT system aimed at improving the quality of maternity care for women and their babies.

“The new Maternity Clinical Information System (MCIS) is a secure online system which brings together all the information collected on different systems in hospitals and in the community,” says Dr Coleman.

"Having all the relevant information available in one place will make it easier for midwives, GPs, hospital specialists and other health professionals to work together as a team to care for women during pregnancy and labour, and after their babies are born.

“The system will be developed further so the 60,000 women who have babies each year can access their own maternity information through an online portal.

“Strengthening our maternity services has been a priority for the Government, that’s why we’ve invested over $100 million extra into a range of improved maternity services for parents, including longer stays for mothers in hospitals and birthing facilities.”

The MCIS programme is being progressively rolled out across all DHBs, with MidCentral, South Canterbury, Whanganui, Tairawhiti and Counties Manukau DHB the first to sign on.

The system has been developed in collaboration with the colleges of midwives, GPs and obstetricians and gynaecologists. The work has been supported by the Ministry of Health, the National Health IT Board and DHBs.