Waikato DHB investment in virtual health raises concernsSUPPLIED Waikato DHB executive director of virtual care and innovation Darrin Hackett said staff were mindful of keeping costs in check (file photo). Waikato District Health Board is being urged to ditch its showpiece virtual health system as questions mount over costs. READ MORE:* Users slow to use health app* New Waikato health institute to foster innovation* Pilot offers after-hours doctor service onlineThe Waikato DHB has repeatedly refused to reveal the total costs of its virtual health project, citing commercial sensitivities. "We've been pioneers in the virtual health space and we've got 100,000 people who are actively using virtual health services and it seems like a missed opportunity that they [Waikato DHB] haven't leveraged off that," Macaskill-Smith said. The Waikato DHB also spent $35,000 rebranding the virtual health platform from Virtual DHB to SmartHealth in November 2016.

Source: Stuff August 26, 2017 00:33 UTC