Hospitals builds adopt new way to put digital infrastructure systems in place

Two big hospital builds are adopting a new way of getting complex digital infrastructure systems put in place, with a tweak.

Whangārei and Nelson builds are adapting what the Dunedin redevelopment did when it hired a digital system integrator.

They are tweaking it slightly by putting the integrator under the main contractor instead directly with Health New Zealand.

Health NZ says getting hospital IT done this way recognises what a big job it is.

"It also aims to avoid perpetuating legacy technical issues by ensuring that contemporary, resilient digital infrastructure, aligned to Health New Zealand digital standards, is implemented on the major hospital build programmes," it said.

It was working successfully in Dunedin, it added.

Its tender alerting companies it will be hiring, invites them to join a list of pre-qualified suppliers for when the job is let for real.

It says that list may be used for other similar hospital projects in future.

"Similar models are likely to be used to support delivery of significant digital modernisation programmes through the Centre for Digital Modernisation of Health."