Microsoft and HealthIT team up on venture

Microsoft and the New Zealand HealthIT Cluster last week announced a joint venture to develop an improved system for accessing patients' health records.

The software giant's New Zealand arm and the Foundation for Science, Research and Technology (FRST) have each contributed $416,000 to launch the initiative, with Microsoft providing a further $99,000 in consulting and technical services.

The project, called the HealthIT Showcase, will be implemented by the HealthIT Cluster and will co-ordinate multiple IT systems used in patient care to create a seamless record, through from testing, diagnosis and treatment.

Gavin Wright, chairman of the HealthIT Cluster, says the deal gives local companies the opportunity to "lead the world in the provision of patient-centred health care technology solutions".

That prospect earned the project $416,000 of Government funding from FRST.

Hamish Campbell, FRST senior business manager, said the project was the latest addition to a strong record of IT innovation from the local health sector.

"This project again pushes the boundaries of what can be achieved when you combine world-class technology and New Zealand's IT expertise."

Paulo Rocha, principal consultant for Microsoft New Zealand, says the scale of the HealthIT Showcase sets it apart from other projects.

"It's broader - we're not just looking at a [general practitioner] managing diabetes or a hospital collecting historical information about diabetes management," he said.

"We're talking about who is involved in the care of that patient for diabetes and they all have access to that information."

Rocha says patients will also be more closely involved in their own care, using computers or mobile devices to remind them of appointments, the timing of insulin injections and to record results such as blood sugar levels.

Rocha knows from personal experience about the difficulties of treating chronic illness.

"My mother was a diabetic and the main problem towards the end of her life was we had no idea that she wasn't managing her diabetes properly," he says.

"Any chronic disease is really a pain to manage."

He says better access to information will improve the visibility of potential problems, leading to earlier, more proactive and cost-effective treatment.

"The community nurse that might be visiting this old lady that has mobility issues will also know that there is a problem with blood sugar and may start asking different questions than they would probably ask during a normal visit.

"The potential of looking at a longitudinal health record and the management end to end with everyone involved is huge."

The project is scheduled to be completed for presentation at the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society conference in San Diego in February.