"A patient portal is an online service which allows a patient to securely log in and do things like check their latest laboratory test results, order a repeat prescription, or send a message directly to their GP - all from the convenience of their home," says Mr Ryall.
Jayasinha shares the drivers, strategies and technologies behind the Council’s ongoing business and ICT transformation programme.
Read more: New Zealand city CIO shares ICT transformation agenda
"Relative to the country's size and population, I think we use telemedicine infrequently. The Canterbury and West Coast DHBs (district health boards) are two that have the most activity in telemedicine in the country," says Dr John Garrett, liaison paediatrician for Canterbury and West Coast DHBs.
Read more: NZ: DHBs discuss the all-too-human impediments to telemedicine
Government Chief Information Officer, Colin MacDonald, said, “The new service will improve the ability of agencies to create, store, share, protect and manage their digital information. This will help us to unlock the value of the information held across government to design and deliver new services and support evidence-based policy-making.”
Read more: New Zealand’s govt-wide information management service
The award is shared by six regional councils – Southland, Taranaki, Northland, Waikato, Horizons and West Coast – who have worked together to develop and share specialist technical software needed for their core functions.
The Integrated Regional Information System (IRIS) is one of the largest local government shared-services’ projects ever undertaken in New Zealand, and won the ‘Joined Up Local Government’ Excellence Award at this week’s Society of Local Government Managers annual meeting in Wellington.
Read more: AU: Southland Region Shares in IT Excellence Award