eHealthTALK NZ

Health Through the Marae is a marae-based healthcare initiative redefining community care by using technology to rebuild trust, improve access, and enable whānau-centered models of care.
In this episode, we explore how their partnership with Virtual Medical Solutions combines culturally grounded care with clinically robust virtual healthcare.
At the centre is TytoCare - a clinically validated virtual care platform that pairs a handheld diagnostic device with secure telehealth software, enabling clinicians to perform real-time remote examinations and move virtual care beyond video consultations.
The result is improved access to timely GP care, greater clinical confidence, and stronger community capability to understand and manage health - demonstrating what equitable, digitally enabled healthcare can look like in Aotearoa.

Darren Douglass, Acting Chief Information Technology Officer at Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora speaks to Rebecca McBeth about the challenges and opportunities in the new 10-year Health Digital Investment Plan. 
He also discusses the creation of the Centre for Digital Modernisation in Health, created to deliver the plan.
Recorded during Digital Health Week 2025, held in Christchurch November 25-26.

This episode explores an IDI (Integrated Data Infrastructure) project from Blind Low Vision New Zealand, which is using data to illuminate the life outcomes of the blind and visually impaired, revealing insights that challenge perceptions and aim to drive policy change. 
Cain Richardson and Tori Van Loewenhout discuss the drivers behind the project, issues around data standardisation and the power of integrated data in advocating for better services and opportunities for what is often an invisible community.

This episode explores the unique origins of electronic medical record (EMR) system Tamanu, with guests Edwin Monk-Fromont and Megan Lane from Beyond Essential Systems. 
Tamanu was designed with a people-first approach, aimed at enhancing healthcare delivery in low-resource settings across the Pacific. 
Learn how Tamanu's open-source, mobile-enabled technology and standards based approach to interoperability is transforming patient care throughout the region and beyond. 
Edwin and Megan also discuss the importance of co-design, and future integrations of AI.

MTANZ board member Aisling Weir explores the history and complexities of medical device regulation in New Zealand.
She discusses the challenges and opportunities within the evolving landscape of medical technology and how new legislation - the Medical Products Bill  - aims to address these issues. 
Also, the difficulty of regulating AI in relation to medical devices and what New Zealand could learn from how international regulatory agencies are approaching this.