Waikato DHB's virtual health spend caused financial squeeze, insider claimsTOM LEE/STUFF About 10,000 people signed up for SmartHealth. A Waikato DHB decision to plough millions of health dollars into an ambitious virtual health project allegedly left the health board financially hamstrung. The virtual health service, SmartHealth, was launched in 2016 with the aim of giving patients access to doctors via a smartphone or computer app. In April, the district health board voted to abandon the $16 million project after health board members argued ongoing investment in SmartHealth couldn't be justified. READ MORE:* Waikato DHB drops virtual health service* Waikato DHB's virtual health app costing millions* Waikato DHB investment in virtual health raises concernsThe source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the virtual health project was proposed as a late agenda item in a public-excluded session of a board meeting in July 2015.

Source: Stuff April 26, 2018 00:56 UTC