Digital Health Association : Spotlight

Encompassing a wide range of technologies and applications, digital healthcare is designed to improve outcomes, increase efficiency, and empower patients. New Zealand is embracing this developing landscape by integrating mobile and wearable devices, telemedicine, and IT to support prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

SPOTLIGHT ON NEW ZEALAND DIGITAL HEALTH

Over the past 30 years, digital healthcare has evolved considerably to support in-person medical appointments, with notable developments in the 1990s when electronic health records (EHRs) became widely adopted, prompting radical reforms across health systems.

Undergoing a significant transformation, New Zealand (NZ) is actively advancing its cyber medical services through national initiatives, telehealth, secure digital identity, and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI).

Moreover, the country is embracing revolutionary advancements to modernise and transform its health systems, including remote patient monitoring, which will facilitate earlier patient discharge and enhance overall care.

A unified EHR system will streamline and secure the flow of medical information amongst general practitioners (GPs), specialists, and hospitals.

Furthermore, NZ is advancing into the digital age by enhancing its national breast cancer screening programme with innovative technology. The upgrade features a digital platform that allows users to enrol, book, and manage mammogram appointments through secure links or QR codes, making the process more convenient and accessible.

These investments are part of a broader strategy to create a more connected and accessible healthcare system, ultimately benefitting both patients and clinicians.

Digital healthcare in NZ has been rapidly evolving; the integration of IT into healthcare has facilitated improved data management, sharing, and analysis. Indeed, the nation has made significant progress in adopting health informatics, thereby enhancing patient outcomes and streamlining operations.

For example, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of telehealth services, allowing patients to consult healthcare providers remotely. This model has proven especially beneficial for those in rural and underserved areas, improving access to medical advice and treatment.

Many healthcare providers now offer online patient portals where individuals can access their medical records, schedule appointments, and communicate with health professionals. This in turn enhances patient engagement and encourages proactive management of health conditions.

The NZ government, along with various health organisations, has launched initiatives to promote digital health solutions.

Additionally, the use of wearable devices for monitoring health metrics, such as heart rate, physical activity, and sleep patterns, is on the rise. These technologies empower individuals to take charge of their health whilst providing valuable data to healthcare providers.

Ultimately, there is a growing movement in NZ towards creating a collaborative health ecosystem in which the public and private sectors work together to innovate and implement digital healthcare solutions for both patients and providers.

Q&A WITH STELLA WARD, CEO, DIGITAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION

Stella Ward, CEO of the Digital Health Association, shares insights into the evolution of digital healthcare in NZ, discussing the association’s mission, the unique strengths of Kiwi HealthTech companies, and the opportunities and challenges they face in global markets.

Firstly, could you talk us through the origins of the Digital Health Association, its inception, and initial mission and vision?

Stella Ward, CEO (SW): The Digital Health Association (DHA) started in 2002 as New Zealand Health IT (NZHIT). At that point, technology was only beginning to shape healthcare, and the sector itself recognised the need for a coordinated voice to work with government, providers, and policymakers in a fragmented system.

The purpose was practical and strategic from day one: to connect industry with decision-makers and ensure innovation aligned with national health priorities and could actually be adopted. It was about helping businesses not just build technology, but get it into real-world use and scale.

The early mission held three ideas: give the sector a strong collective voice, build collaboration across it, and accelerate the uptake of technology to improve care.

In 2022, we rebranded as DHA to reflect a broader, system-wide view, moving beyond an IT focus to encompass the full span of digital health, including data, interoperability, and patient-centred care.

The underlying vision has remained constant: digital innovation can deliver better health outcomes at scale. Our role is to amplify members’ voices, connect them into the health system, and turn innovation into system-wide impact.

What specific opportunities and challenges do companies in NZ face in the digital healthcare sector when looking to expand into global markets?

SW: NZ HealthTech companies bring real strengths to global markets because we work in a small, integrated health system; they often build solutions that span the entire continuum of care, from primary and community settings through to hospital and aged care.

That breadth is attractive overseas, where health systems want connected, end-to-end tools. There is momentum too, with several companies already taking AI-enabled products offshore, backed by a wider government push to grow high-value exports.

The challenges are mostly structural. Regulation is the biggest barrier: every major market, whether in the US, UK, European Union (EU), or Australia, has its own compliance rules, which are costly and slow to navigate, especially for smaller firms. Health procurement is also slow, risk-averse, and highly local, so sales cycles are long and need sustained investment.

Proving scale is another hurdle. NZ is an excellent testbed, but its size makes it harder to show the large-scale deployments international buyers want as proof.

That is where industry coordination matters. Through our Healthtech International Industry Group (HIIG), companies receive support to identify export pathways, share insights, and connect with partners, including New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE).

How can companies effectively market their digital healthcare solutions to a wider audience, and what resources or support systems are available to help them transition into international markets?

SW: Marketing digital health solutions overseas comes down to credibility, relevance, and relationships. Health buyers care less about features and more about proven outcomes, so the companies that do well can show measurable impact, such as shorter wait times, fewer errors, or better patient outcomes.

Solutions co-designed with clinicians and consumers land harder because they signal real-world usability. Reference sites and trusted networks are also important; a proven deployment, even in a market the size of NZ, is a powerful proof point when backed by strong clinical evidence and user testimonials.

There is a growing set of supports to help companies scale. Within DHA, HIIG connects exporters, shares market insights, and helps members navigate complex procurement processes.

We also connect members with NZTE, the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment (MBIE), and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) so they can access trade networks and market intelligence.

Our events, the Digital Health Week Conference, and member channels give companies a platform to showcase results and meet partners and decision-makers.

What emerging technologies in AI and robotics should digital healthcare companies focus on, and what key trends in domestic and global markets should they be aware of to remain competitive?

SW: AI is the dominant theme in digital health right now, with the clearest opportunities in clinical decision support, administrative automation, and patient navigation. We are already seeing practical uses, such as AI-enabled triage, image analysis, and remote monitoring, that ease pressure on frontline services whilst improving access.

Recent moves towards AI-driven digital front doors, especially in mental health, show how these tools can guide people into the system and improve equity of access. Policy now needs to catch up with the economics and the opportunity; AI readiness should be a mandatory design requirement.

Building systems without AI capability embedded from the outset will lock in avoidable remediation costs later, whilst getting this right at the design stage is far cheaper and creates one of the strongest available levers to lift clinical productivity in a workforce already under structural pressure.

Interoperability sits right alongside AI. The global shift to Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR)-based data standards is both a technical necessity and a commercial opportunity.

Companies that design for interoperability from the start are far better placed to integrate with established systems and scale into markets such as Australia, the UK, and the US.

In robotics, global growth in surgical systems, dispensing, and hospital logistics is strong, but it is capital-intensive and heavily regulated. For most NZ companies, the nearer opportunity is in the software layer – the AI tools that support clinical workflows – rather than hardware.

Recently, a new scanner technology company, MARS Bioengineering, has received approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is entering the international market.

The bigger trend, here and globally, is the shift from episodic care to continuous, data-driven health management. Wearables, remote monitoring, and personalised medicine are converging towards more proactive, preventative care.

To build sector capability, DHA is launching an AI in Healthcare Community of Practice (CoP) in August and runs a Digital Interoperability CoP to help members work with standards like FHIR and build solutions that scale across borders.

Are there any effective strategies the association utilises to demonstrate value to its members and ensure their satisfaction?

SW: Demonstrating value comes down to relevance, influence, and access. A big part of that is giving members a direct line into decision-making.

Through regular engagement with Health New Zealand’s executive leadership and other senior stakeholders, such as ACC, we ensure members’ views are heard at the top. For smaller companies in particular, that kind of access would be very hard to get on their own.

Advocacy is the next pillar, which is grounded in member input. DHA helps shape policy and position digital health in the wider system, including input to legislation and structured recommendations to government.

Value also shows up in participation. Our Special Interest Groups give members hands-on opportunities to work with peers, providers, and policymakers on shared challenges, moving beyond discussion to real problem-solving.

Channels such as the Issues and Opportunities Register give members a structured way to raise concerns and shape the advocacy agenda, whilst quarterly engagement with Health New Zealand, newsletters, and regional events keep members informed and involved.

We also complete regular member surveys – our latest one went out in June, and this helps us respond to member needs. The strategy is simple: turn membership into real influence, useful connections, and practical chances to shape the direction of digital health in NZ.

How do you see the growth of the digital mental health sector compared to other areas, and how are related services being designed to ensure accessibility for diverse populations, including those in rural or underserved areas?

SW: Digital mental health is one of the fastest-growing parts of the sector, driven by rising demand and the clear advantages of digital delivery over long-standing access barriers such as geography, stigma, wait times, and cost. It has grown quickly because it can meet people where they are.

DHA supports this through our Digital Mental Health Industry Group, which brings together providers and technology partners across e-mental health, addiction, and digital well-being.

The group offers sector leadership and informed systems thinking, including our submission to the Minister of Mental Health on a national Digital Health Roadmap outlining how these services can scale and reach more people.

The design challenge is real. Services have to work for people with different levels of digital literacy and across devices ranging from smartphones to low-bandwidth devices.

Accessibility is cultural as well as technical, so co-designing with communities, particularly Māori and Pacific, is critical to meaningful engagement. Our approach is guided by ‘Te Tiriti o Waitangi’, with a focus on participation, partnership, protection, and improving access and outcomes for underserved groups.

The key now is making sure investment goes to genuinely inclusive solutions that reach rural communities and people who have faced barriers to care, not just those already well-served.

Is the association currently involved in any notable projects, events, or key initiatives that you would like to showcase or bring attention to?

SW: A few things stand out right now. The most significant is Budget 2026, which committed NZD$300 million to the Health Digital Investment Plan over its first three years; NZD$35 million for a new electronic patient record for Hato Hone St John; and NZD$153.6 million to cybersecurity across the health system, including primary care.

DHA welcomed this as a clear signal that digital health is now treated as critical national infrastructure. The focus shifts to delivery, and our members are well-placed to bring design, integration, and operational expertise to turn that investment into results.

We also convene the sector through flagship events: the Digital Health Leadership Forum, Parliamentary Dinner, and HealthTech Week with the Medical Technology Association of New Zealand (MTANZ) and MedTech-iQ; the Tech Users Summit with the Telecommunications Users Association of New Zealand (TUANZ), and the Digital Health Week Conference with Health Informatics New Zealand (HINZ).

These bring industry, government, and clinical leaders together to share insight and strengthen connections.

We have also strengthened sector alignment through our memorandum of understanding (MoU) with HINZ. The partnership means a more coordinated industry voice and makes it easier for government to engage the right expertise.

There is a growing focus on system resilience and trust, especially after the independent review of the ManageMyHealth cyber incident. The government’s commitment to act on the review’s 26 recommendations reinforces the point that digital systems are integral to patient safety and continuity of care, areas where DHA is actively engaged.

Finally, how do you envisage the digital health sector evolving over the next five years regarding advancements in technology, regulation, and patient engagement shaping healthcare delivery?

SW: Over the next five years, we expect the sector to change fast across all three.

Regarding technology, AI will become embedded across the system, moving from point solutions to core infrastructure, with greater use in clinical decision support, predictive analytics, and workflow automation, alongside continued growth in remote monitoring and virtual care.

These tools will increasingly run on interoperable data platforms, with standards like FHIR letting information flow across providers, which is essential for scaling at home and abroad.

On regulation, expect a shift towards structured, risk-based frameworks for digital health and AI. As these tools move closer to clinical decisions, regulators will focus more on safety, transparency, accountability, and cybersecurity.

We are also likely to see more alignment between international regulators, which should help NZ companies enter global markets, provided they build with compliance in mind from the start.

Patient engagement will change too, moving from episodic, provider-led care to continuous, consumer-centred health management.

People will expect digital access as the default, from booking and triage through to monitoring and personalised support. Digital front doors, AI-driven navigation, and integrated care platforms will become standard.

Alongside all of this, equity and inclusive design will matter more, ensuring solutions reach diverse populations, including rural and underserved communities, by designing for varying levels of digital literacy, connectivity, and cultural context from the start.

The next phase is about moving from innovation to scale, embedding these tools in the health system in a way that is secure, interoperable, and delivers measurable outcomes.

Healthcare is heading towards something more connected, intelligent, and patient-driven, with digital at the centre of how care is accessed and delivered.