Health professionals develop IT solutions

Health Minister Tony Ryall is encouraging health professionals to take part in this year’s Clinicians’ Challenge to support the development of IT systems in health services.

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

“Individual clinicians or groups of clinicians can enter an idea identifying a work-related issue that, if solved, will help them to work smarter and improve patient outcomes.

“Three ideas will be chosen as challenges to IT vendors, who will propose solutions. The solutions are presented at the Health Informatics New Zealand Annual Conference later in the year and a winner is selected.

“Janet Liang, an intensive care specialist from North Shore Hospital, won last year with a proposal for a language interpreter system to improve communication with patients, particularly in emergency situations when there isn’t time to organise interpreters.

“The Challenge is part of the Government’s drive to improve productivity and services for patients and is supported by Health Informatics New Zealand, New Zealand Health IT Cluster and the National Health IT Board.”

For more information about the 2012 Clinicians’ Challenge, go to: www.hinz.org.nz/page/conference/conference-2012-challenge