Executive summary
“Data and digital services affect care provision across the spectrum because there is an element of digital health in every healthcare interaction - from referral, booking, reminders, care documentation and management of service delivery. If progress is not being made then we are not just stagnating, we are falling behind in how health services are being provided in Aotearoa NZ.”
New Zealand’s healthcare professionals and digital health experts, have voiced deep concerns about the erosion of digital and data capabilities due to recent budget cuts, with 97.5% of respondents to a HiNZ survey believing the current cuts will either worsen or delay improvements to patient care. Survey participants highlighted several critical impacts, including increased administrative burdens, outdated systems compromising patient safety, and vulnerable populations facing even greater barriers to care. Clinicians overwhelmingly reported that these changes would worsen staff burnout and further accelerate workforce attrition, particularly in frontline roles. Despite these challenges, the report identifies actionable opportunities for digital transformation. Respondents emphasised the importance of targeted investments in five key areas: national shared health records, AI-driven diagnostics,
telehealth and remote patient monitoring expansion, real-time hospital tracking, and predictive analytics. These initiatives, supported by international evidence, promise to deliver significant cost savings while improving access, timeliness, quality, workforce sustainability, and infrastructure resilience. However, without a committed and substantial increase in digital health funding, New Zealand risks falling behind international benchmarks and jeopardising its ability to achieve equitable and effective healthcare.
survey participant
HEALTHCARE ANALYTICS IN AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND | A HINZ SPECIAL REPORT | 3 THE FUTURE OF DIGITAL HEALTH IN AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND - VOICE OF THE WORKFORCE | A HINZ SPECIAL REPORT | 3
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