The eHealth Forum hosts several Communities of Practice (CoPs); in fact, it could be described as (a rather large) one itself. They are a valuable way to communicate around shared interests and goals, and are highly applicable to our national digital health ecosystem.
Here is a generic explainer of the concept:
Our CoPs vary in their accessibility. Some are publicly visible, others logged in members only, and some special ones are restricted to HiNZ members or Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora staff.
Open CoPs
Emerging Tech
Those interested in the latest digital health innovations will find our Emerging Tech community valuable. Managed by the New Technology & Innovation team, it has an engaging news format and invites rich discussion around the cutting edge of our sector. It is visible on the wider internet.
Standards
Standards is the online meeting place for our standards experts in the national subcommittee of the ISO technical committee for health informatics. The team shares its deliberations in the open (you must be logged in) and invites comment from everyone. There are often lively conversations on the draft standards HISO posts for comment on the forum.
Health NZ affiliated CoPs
Housed in CoPs, these are primarily for national collaboration around the data and digital needs of our national public health system. They are supported by Health NZ staff, and are accessible to those who work for Health NZ and a few selected guests.
Clinical Portals
While most of the former DHBs share the same software product for this key clinical software tool, there is quite a bit of variation in the implementation and the customisations. Clinical Portal Suite opens up opportunities to work together in a joined up way from the grass roots up to the decision makers.
Patient Administration Systems
The PAS category is dedicated to the CoP for the PAS systems that we have around the motu. It enables the community to work towards a nationally co-ordinated approach of this vital underpinning system.
Results Repositories
Effectively delivering results from clinical investigations is another key part of the clinical informatics toolkit, and enables quality care. The Results Repository is working towards national co-ordination of this to improve this aspect for all of our patients.
Other Health NZ CoPs
These areas also have dedicated Communities of Practice:
- CCIO is for the clinical informatics team
- Medicines is for national medications
- WhÄnau Consumer suports the WhÄnau, Consumer and Clinician Digital Council.
HiNZ affiliated CoPs
These are housed in our HiNZ category, and are nurtured and supported by the HiNZ team. People do not need to be HiNZ members to participate in these groups, but we do encourage joining and supporting HiNZ to ensure the health of our sector.
Clinical Informatics Leadership Network (CiLN)
All clinicians who join the eHealth Forum are automatically part of CiLN and can participate in the conversations. It is overseen by an advisory panel.
HiNZ Nursing and Midwifery Informatics (HiNZ NMI)
All nurses who join the eHealth forum are automatically part of HiNZ NMI.
National Allied Health, Scientific, and Technical Informatics Group (NAHSTIG)
All those in Allied Health, Scientific, and Technical professions are automatically part of NAHSTIG. This is overseen by the NAHSTIG Council.
HiNZ Fellows
These are endorsed Fellows of HiNZ, and represent many of the significant individual contributors to the digital health sector of Aotearoa NZ.