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New Zealand's diabetes roadmap considers AI
Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand has launched a national diabetes roadmap that includes exploring the use of digital tools and AI to support diabetes care and prevention across the country.
The roadmap involves plans to review AI use in diabetic retinopathy screening, pilot retinal photo screening in community settings, and align HbA1c diagnostic thresholds with international standards to enable earlier detection and intervention.
It also supports ongoing initiatives to expand community-based screening models and workforce capability, as part of efforts to scale technology-enabled diabetes management nationwide.
eNRMC vendors pass e-prescribing conformance
All ten software vendors under Australia's electronic National Residential Medication Chart (eNRMC) transitional agreement have passed the electronic prescribing conformance assessment.
The conformant eNRMC systems support electronic prescribing workflows in residential aged care homes, which are being required to adopt the systems by the end of the year. Providers include Telstra Health, BESTMED, and Webstercare.
This follows collaboration between the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing and the Australian Digital Health Agency on a national transition to replace paper-based charts with interoperable e-prescribing systems across aged care facilities.
Brisbane hospital deploys robot-assisted knee surgery system
Westside Private Hospital, a private hospital in Brisbane, has deployed a robot-assisted system for joint replacement surgery in its short-stay facility.
Based on a media release, the robotic surgery system provides live intraoperative data to guide implant positioning, supporting higher surgical precision.
The robot-assisted system, combined with the hospital's enhanced recovery after surgery pathways, is expected to improve patient outcomes further.
