HiNZ Digital Health Podcast

This episode explores the role and potential of nurse practitioners in specialist services in Aotearoa New Zealand. Chair of Nurse Practitioners NZ Chelsea Willmott and nurse practitioner Dr Helen Snell discuss the important role nurse practitioners play in the health system, the barriers holding them back, the difference they can make in specialist and hospital care, and what needs to change to strengthen the future workforce.

Paper-based care creates gaps, delays, and risk. In this episode, Third Age Health CTO Sanjeewa Samaraweera and Clinical Change Lead Tolita Noel discuss how the organisation built a clinical portal that gives aged care teams a single source of truth, cuts duplicate administration, and ensures resident information is accessible 24/7.

Health Through the Marae is a marae-based healthcare initiative redefining community care by using technology to rebuild trust, improve access, and enable whānau-centered models of care.In this episode, we explore how their partnership with Virtual Medical Solutions combines culturally grounded care with clinically robust virtual healthcare.At the centre is TytoCare - a clinically validated virtual care platform that pairs a handheld diagnostic device with secure telehealth software, enabling clinicians to perform real-time remote examinations and move virtual care beyond video consultations.The result is improved access to timely GP care, greater clinical confidence, and stronger community capability to understand and manage health - demonstrating what equitable, digitally enabled healthcare can look like in Aotearoa.

In this episode Phil Baskerville, Digital Project Director for the New Dunedin Hospital, talks about the vision, planning and innovation behind one the country's largest health infrastructure project.From designing a paperless hospital and creating digitally enabled patient journeys to overcoming complex infrastructure challenges and preparing staff for change, Phil shares how the project is reimagining healthcare from the ground up. He discusses the role of the Digital Health Design Lab, the importance of co-design with clinicians and patients, why digital inclusion remains a priority, and how technology is being introduced progressively ahead of opening day.The conversation also explores the leadership, governance and collaborative culture required to deliver a project of this scale, along with the lessons other health organisations can take from the experience.If you want to learn more, see Phil present at Southern Connections - the future of digital health, in Dunedin on July 29. Register here

MTANZ chief executive Cushla Smyth discusses the themes and highlights of the MTANZ conference this June 29-30 in Auckland including;-       How the new medical device procurement system is progressing-       The Medical Products Bill and potential impact of political shifts on health tech regulation-       Practical insights on integrating AI tools in healthcare-       The synergy between research, startups, and established manufacturers at HealthTech Week Listen to hear how regulation, innovation, and collaborative action are shaping NZ’s medtech landscape and register to attend the conference later this month.

Protecting health data isn’t just a technical challenge, but a shared responsibility that is critical to maintaining patient trust and system resilience.In this episode Pete Booth, Acting Chief Information Security Officer at Health New Zealand, discusses the evolving cyber landscape in healthcare.He talks about bolstering cybersecurity in health, from managing third-party risks and enforcing the NCSC standards, to embedding security by design in AI and digital health innovations and Health New Zealand’s central Security Operations Centre.Note - This episode was recorded before reports into the MMH data breach were released on May 27.

This episode covers the redesign and goals of the Digital Health Week Conference 2026 being held on Nov 18-19 in Auckland - emphasising inclusivity, industry engagement, and sustainable impact. HiNZ CEO Alex Kemp and DHA CEO Stella Ward discuss how the partnership between the two associations is creating a connected and action-driven event, bringing together diverse stakeholders for meaningful change and innovation.

ProCare CEO Bindi Norwell shares practical insights on what it takes to turn innovation into everyday practice in primary care. She unpacks how to accelerate adoption among time-poor clinicians, why making new tools habitual is the key to lasting impact, and how a collaborative, scale-ready approach can transform care for millions.Bindi also highlights the cultural shift required for meaningful change: embracing fast failure, learning quickly, and celebrating wins to sustain momentum and keep innovation alive across the system.

Third Age Health Geriatrician Dr Jackie Broadbent and clinical change coordinator Madelaine Young explain what drove the development of the new Elder Care Standards and the impact they have had since implementation.They discuss why is it important to hold medical providers to a clear set of quality standards when delivering care in aged residential care facilities.Also, how technology is evolving rapidly in healthcare and how that has influenced the need for consistent quality standards in this sector.

Darren Douglass, Acting Chief Information Technology Officer at Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora speaks to Rebecca McBeth about the challenges and opportunities in the new 10-year Health Digital Investment Plan. He also discusses the creation of the Centre for Digital Modernisation in Health, created to deliver the plan.Recorded during Digital Health Week 2025, held in Christchurch November 25-26.