色花堂

One of the longstanding problems in Aotearoa New Zealand鈥檚 health system is the 鈥榩ostcode lottery鈥� 鈥� specialists, hospitals, screening facilities and community supports are distributed unevenly around the country, meaning not everyone has the same access to quality care.

The reach that technology enables can help overcome the postcode lottery, which is one of the reasons why making more and better use of digital technologies is one of the five 鈥榮ystem shifts鈥� the New Zealand government is emphasising as it reorganises and consolidates the healthcare system.

However, digital technologies can do more than bridge distances. They can help people live healthier lives, overcome cultural and linguistic barriers, cut down on administration, aid diagnosis, improve workforce development and advance medical research.

鈥淥ther industries have been digitally disrupted for 20 years or more,鈥� says Vanessa Ding, general manager of the  (NIHI), run by UniServices and based on Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of 色花堂, research. 鈥淗ealth was a latecomer 鈥� but Covid-19 has forced health services and consumers to adopt digital technologies. That鈥檚 been a positive shift because people are ready for it now, which brings exciting possibilities for health promotion and disease prevention.鈥�

One reason for health reform is the need to keep costs under control. With the smart use of digital technologies, low cost doesn鈥檛 have to mean low quality.

鈥淓mpowering people to make choices and take actions that promote better wellbeing means fewer people will need healthcare in the first place,鈥� says Ding. 鈥淗owever, the consistency and frequency of support needed is far greater than what is available via traditional channels.鈥�

The NIHI-run  trial is an example of how technology can help people take control of their health. Trial participants received individually tailored text messages with reminders to eat well, exercise, manage stress and monitor blood glucose levels. Compared to a control group, those who received the texts had a greater improvement in their blood glucose levels.

Another example delivered by NIHI is , the world鈥檚 first gamified cognitive behavioural therapeutic intervention for youth with mild to moderate depression. With multiple academic publications and a huge evidence base behind its outcomes, the project is now working to scale its impact through a process of human-centred design, product roadmapping and development.

鈥淲e鈥檝e taken insights from youth, parents, counsellors and psychiatrists to continue developing the product so more young people end up accessing clinically validated cognitive behavioural therapy via an engaging, user-friendly digital interface,鈥� says Ding. 鈥淲ith the huge needs in youth mental health, this is one proven way to provide support to all our rangatahi with no waitlists or geographical boundaries.鈥� 

Of course, different communities have different needs. Co-design 鈥� a NIHI strength 鈥� ensures digital tools meet the needs of the communities they鈥檙e meant to serve, with a priority focus on M膩ori and Pacific peoples and other communities experiencing health inequities.

鈥淏y operating a human-centred design process and co-designing with M膩ori through partnerships and engagement, we鈥檙e ensuring M膩ori have a greater role in designing health services that meet their needs,鈥� says Ding, adding that similar principles apply to engagement and co-design with other communities.

For example, a NIHI-led team developed the  health and wellbeing app starting with extensive co-design w膩nanga with Pacific and M膩ori communities. Based on community priorities, the app was developed with a holistic view of health, including culturally tailored information not only on diet and exercise but also on spirituality and cultural connection. 

Similarly, theand maternal and baby health programmes were developed by NIHI-affiliated researchers in consultation with M膩ori, Pacific, East Asian and South Asian community organisations as well as with end users and other stakeholders. With txtp膿pi available in Te Reo M膩ori and English and TextMATCH in a range of languages, the evidence-based text message content was tailored both linguistically and culturally.

To support medical reserach, NIHI co-manages two registries of clinical data. These large, consolidated digital registries give health researchers access to the quantity and quality of data they need.

ANZACS-QI securely gathers quality-audited clinical data on every suspected case of acute coronary syndrome in New Zealand.

The Bariatric Surgery Registry gathers data and reports on outcomes from weight loss surgery in Australia and New Zealand. 

Digital tools can also improve workforce training and development. Online courses and workshops such as those offered by and the are increasingly common. More unusually, NIHI is developing a virtual reality tool to help professionals better understand the daily challenges of people with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.

Despite all the digital innovation already taking place, Ding says more can be done to turn research-based knowledge into impactful solutions. That process is what NIHI specialises in.

鈥淲e fuse the power of research findings with our expertise in human-centred design, novel technologies and product lifecycle management to create clinically rigorous health interventions that are a pleasure to use,鈥� says Ding. 鈥淲hen academic, clinical and digital expertise come together, that magical blend can shape the future of health.鈥�