Essay online on Health Care in New Zealand

The major projects established in New Zealand regarding health information development

In the late 2-th century, New Zealand has started to introduce projects and programs that aimed at the introduction of new information technologies in the national health care system and to increase the effectiveness of information transmission. In this regard, it is worth mentioning, the Child Health Information Strategy (CHIS) (1998) is a strategic plan to guide the development, collection and use of information about the health of children and young people (Child Health Information Strategy, 2003). This strategy facilitated the introduction of information technologies and creation of the database, where information on the history of each child can be stored.

One part of the CHIS is a hierarchy of registers of children (Child Health Information Strategy, 2003). The National Health Index number allows information gathered from different providers to be attributed to one individual. Another part of the CHIS is information technology infrastructure, which carries information between local care providers and regional and national registers (Child Health Information Strategy, 2003). The third part of the CHIS is the requirement to develop local and regional service initiatives to enroll all children in health care services (Child Health Information Strategy, 2003).

Furthermore, the Health Information Strategy for New Zealand (2005) coordinates and stimulates the implementation of information technologies and effective information transmission and use within the national health care system of New Zealand at all levels (National Information Strategy, 2005). This strategy defines the overall development of the national health care system and the implementation of new information technologies. This strategy guides the development of information system that facilitates and improves the performance of health care professionals, organizations, and national health care system at large.

Also, it is possible to refer to the National Mental Health Information Strategy for New Zealand (2005) defines priorities and development of information technologies in the mental health system of New Zealand (National Mental Health Information Strategy, 2005). This strategy aims at the introduction of information technologies in the mental health organizations of New Zealand.

6.4 ICTs issues facing health care in New Zealand

A Privacy and confidentiality

The introduction of information technologies and the creation of electronic health records in New Zealand is accompanied with certain risks and threats. In fact, patients face the risk of the unauthorized access of the third parties to their private information that put under a threat their privacy rights. Information breaches can occur in the information system and they may affect electronic health records as well. As a result, the privacy of patients may be under a threat.