Christchurch-headquartered IT services provider Inde Technology is joining the ranks of the coalition of companies in planning a new digital-first hospital in Dunedin, tapped to design the IT infrastructure for the project.
The 421-bed hospital will require a strong ICT backbone as its systems will have to manage a range of modern digital technologies.
The contract covers managing inpatient and outpatient flow, IT network design, cloud infrastructure, telephony, audio-visual design and real-time digital location and wayfinding technologies, which use patients' and visitors’ smartphones to communicate with the building systems via a geolocation app.
This will be underpinned by a unified digital platform that, according to Inde CTO Rik Roberts, will support the delivery of “the best possible patient and community health outcomes”.
“This isn’t about employing technology for technology’s sake – this is about changing the way healthcare is delivered to improve health outcomes and enable innovation for the benefit of patients, while also giving hospital workers better experiences,” he said.
The company will collaborate with the other three companies that the Southern District Health Board has appointed for the initial design phase – civil engineering consultancy WSP, smart building specialist Torque IP and developer Lendlease.
Southern District Health Board digital transformation director Lance Elder said that the project is not just about creating high-tech infrastructure.
“It represents the future of hospitals in New Zealand, where thoughtful, modern design and innovative technology are harnessed to deliver improved health outcomes for patients and provide more tailored support to health professionals.”
The project will be delivered in stages over around 10 years, with construction planned to start in 2025, overseen by the Ministry of Health.
Inde has previously delivered large IT design projects, including Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre, and has worked with health boards around the country on healthcare solutions.
Dunedin Hospital, which will be the company’s largest development to date, is described by Inde Technology Otago and Southland Regional director Jonathan Elliott. as “the opportunity of a lifetime” for the company’s Dunedin team.
“This is a project that will have a significant impact on people’s lives while improving wellbeing in our community for decades to come, and we can actually see the site from our office, which brings it home that we need to create something amazing that all Otago residents can be proud of.”
