New Zealand develops national standards for health data interoperability
WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND — New Zealand’s Health Information Standards Organisation (HISO) is advancing the development of new standards for interoperable health information exchange (HIE) in the country.
This initiative, part of the Hira program, aims to establish the NZ Core Data for Interoperability (NZCDI), modeled after the United States’ Core Data for Interoperability standards. The NZCDI will serve as the standard for the most commonly shared health data in clinical workflows and consumer access to data.
New Zealand’s efforts to develop national HIE standards through the Hira program and HISO’s initiatives are set to significantly enhance the interoperability and accessibility of health information across the country.
These advancements will also help streamline clinical workflows and empower consumers with better access to their health data.
Importance of data interoperability
The move towards full interoperability across New Zealand’s digital health ecosystem is guided by the Interoperability Roadmap released by HISO in 2020.
A key deliverable of this roadmap was the local adaptation of the International Patient Summary (IPS) standards, which form the basis of the New Zealand Patient Summary (NZPS).
The NZPS, now accessible via My Health Record, allows consumers to view essential health information such as laboratory results, community-dispensed medicines, and immunization records through a website or clinical applications.
Progress and future developments
The first stage of the Hira implementation is nearing completion, with the program successfully rolling out My Health Record. This platform, launched in February, has replaced My Covid Record and now provides access to a broader range of health information, including National Health Index details for individuals and their children.
Following the introduction of the NZPS, the Hira team is working on the NZPS — Clinical View, which will enable hospitals to access patients’ health information anytime, anywhere securely.
An application programming interface (API) will soon be released to facilitate the direct integration of the NZPS with more clinical applications, including clinical portals and practice management systems.
Upcoming enhancements
The upcoming Health New Zealand Digital Services Hub, set to replace the existing Hira Marketplace next month, will offer a broader range of services. This includes a developer portal with API testing capabilities and identity and access protections.
Additionally, Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora, the country’s public healthcare system, recently released a draft of the first API standards for the New Zealand health sector, covering guidance and expectations for API design, development, and security. A technical standards committee under HISO has been established to provide feedback on these standards.
Meanwhile, the Hira team anticipates onboarding the first subscriber to the National Event Management Service, which provides near real-time notification of death events, by the end of May.
