Scott Arrol’s welcome speech at the start of NZHIT’s member networking event hosted by Whanau Tahi, Auckland 5:15pm, 9 March, 2017
Kio ora
Ko Kahu Te Maunga
Ko Waikato Te Awa
Ko Mangakino Taone
Ko Lord Auckland Te Waka
Ko Anna Taku Wahine
Ko Beks, Paul, Josef, Lucas Aku Tamariki
Ko Scott Arrol, CEO NZHIT
Tena Koetoe, Tenar Koetoe, Tena KoeToe, Katoa
Welcome everyone – please let me take this opportunity to thank Whanau Tahi for their support of tonight’s event by way of providing the venue and refreshments for the evening. The support of all members makes NZHIT the strong network that it now is and we really appreciate the effort made by Whanau Tahi to support us tonight.
Many thanks to all of you for coming along to our second member’s event of 2017. Our first event of the year was held on the 14th of February at the Grand Hall in the Parliament Building in Wellington and it marked the beginning of our year-long celebration of NZHIT’s 15-year anniversary.
I’m pleased to see people amongst us tonight who represent the founding organisations of NZHIT (the Cluster as it was known) as well as some members who have only very recently joined our growing network.
On the immediate horizon our next member’s event is in Christchurch on the 30th of March where tonight’s guest speaker, Craig Reid will also be presenting on the same topic. Then, in Auckland on the 12th of April I am pleased to let you know that we will be holding a special member’s event where we will have Chai Chuah, Director-General of Health, as our guest speaker. This follows on from Chai’s presentation to us in April of last year and I’m hoping will become an annual event.
Our membership continues to grow and the increasing level of partnerships and collaborations across the health sector has also seen us becoming involved in many initiatives and activities. This increases our member’s relevance to the sector and enables us to be a part of the future face of healthcare both in New Zealand and internationally.
I’m pleased to announce that NZHIT has entered into a strategic partnership with Health Informatics New Zealand. Our relationship with HiNZ is particularly important as the differences between our organisations are also our combined strengths when it comes to the advancement of technology and informatics in health.
Last August, we ran our first co-branded event, the Cloud in Health Symposium, which was a great success, and we have been working with HiNZ since then on creating more events for the sector.
First up, we are running the one-day event “Emerging Tech in Health”, on the 24th of May in Wellington. This will have a focus on healthcare delivery in 10 years’ time, the changes and disruptions that will need to occur to make this happen and the important part technology will play in all of this.
Then, in early August we will deliver another one-day event, this time in Auckland, on Cybersecurity in Health. Clearly, this is a hot topic particularly when we look at the future of healthcare, interoperability, the flow of data in ways we haven’t yet thought of and how this is all kept safe, secure and trusted.
We have also been assisting the HiNZ team with programme development for the annual HiNZ Conference, which is in Rotorua on the 1st to 3rd of November this year.
Liz Schoff and I are co-chairs of the “Digital Health Ideas” stream. This submission category has been designed to make it simpler for you to put forward your great ideas and projects, for a speaking slot at the conference. We have also some fantastic keynotes and networking opportunities planned, so you will be able to make the most of your time in Rotorua.
In addition, the NZHIT Innovations Award will run again this year and the winner will be announced at the HiNZ Conference. Keep an eye out for further announcements and events in our newsletters and invites.
Now, to the evening’s events -
The Ministry of Health’s EHR Business Case is clearly a topic that is of considerable interest to all of us here tonight and to the health sector in general. It is very pleasing that Craig Reid is able to be with us this evening and provide an update on this project.
Craig is the Project Director for the EHR Business Case and he has supported us in agreeing to be our guest speaker at the event held on the 14th of February in Wellington, tonight in Auckland and again on the 30th in Christchurch so that our members can have the opportunity to find out more about this topic.
There will be an opportunity at the end of Craig’s presentation for further networking amongst yourselves.
Thank you and I will now hand over to Craig Reid...
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