The $95m system upgrade remains in the initial implementation phase. Photo: 123rf
Masses of information about patients is being moved around under a $95m IT upgrade at Auckland's hospitals - and some of it needs correcting.
A new patient administration system is being rolled out across the Auckland district, replacing three systems between 25 and 30 years old.
With $47m spent so far, the project remained in its initial implementation phase, though all the patient information had been transferred from the old systems to the new one.
"Teething issues are to be expected, and we had plans in place to cover these eventualities," said acting group director of operations Margaret Dotchin.
"Through this, we have identified where some information requires correction."
A team was working to correct and update this.
"We have workarounds in place until resolved," she said in a statement.
"We have extensive checking processes in place to ensure patient information is not lost."
Two years ago, the district's hospitals were reporting they still laboured with "variable data/reports to help us understand patient outcomes and service delivery".
Among the upgrade's aims was a "significant improvement of visibility of where our patients are and how we prioritise them".
Better sharing of patient data can help get waiting times down for treatment at hospitals.
At other districts and nationally, health data and digital projects have become a casualty of Te Whatu Ora's financial woes, with the half-billion-dollar Hira project shut down less than a third of the way through, and unions claiming the central health agency has set out to cut another $100m in digital spending.