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MediMap begins phased system restoration
MediMap, a popular digital medication platform in New Zealand, has begun a phased restoration of its services after a cyberattack forced it to go offline.
The company said in an update on 3 March that it rebuilt a secure production environment, conducted forensic validation of its data, strengthened user authentication controls, and will require providers to verify affected demographic records and reconcile medication changes before electronic prescribing via the National ePrescription Service is progressively re-enabled.
MediMap shut down its platform on 22 February after hackers accessed and altered some patient demographic details, forcing providers and services, including those run by Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand, to switch to manual medication processes while authorities and cybersecurity agencies investigate the breach.
New Zealand GPs call for primary care cybersecurity standards
General Practice New Zealand (GPNZ) has called for enforceable national standards to strengthen the security of digital systems underpinning primary care, outlined in a new position paper released this week.
The peak body for GPs urges the introduction of minimum security standards, independent assurance mechanisms, and clearer regulatory oversight to address governance gaps around widely used systems such as patient portals, shared health records, and electronic referrals.
It claimed that the recent breaches affecting health platforms, including Manage My Health and MediMap, highlight broader structural weaknesses in standards, governance, and accountability across the country's digital health ecosystem.
Australia launches digital health implementer hub
The Australian Digital Health Agency (ADHA) has launched a national program to streamline how health services, software developers, and vendors connect to Australia's digital health infrastructure, including renaming its Developer Portal as the Digital Health Implementer Hub.
Based on a media release, the hub introduces tools such as personalised case management, dynamic smart forms, and a conformance engine that converts technical documentation into tailored requirements, use cases, and test cases to guide implementers through compliance and interoperability processes.
The agency said the initiative aims to shorten software conformance timelines to about one month in the coming years, with further enhancements planned in mid-2026 to support functions, including electronic prescribing, re-conformance workflows and the Healthcare Identifiers service.
Assistive technology reuse pilot covers WA
A national assistive technology rental and refurbishment pilot seeking to improve access to lower-cost disability support equipment is expanding to Western Australia.
Under the program run by Ability First Australia, Ability WA will recycle and distribute assistive devices that users can purchase, rent, or exchange through an online platform that also allows people to trial equipment and switch devices as their needs change.
The A$5 million ($3.5 million) pilot, available to people with disabilities under 65, including those not enrolled in the National Disability Insurance Scheme, has been operating in South Australia and Tasmania since mid-2025 and is scheduled to run nationally until December 2026.
