15 May 2025
Jake Parsons
[FYI request #29976 email]
Tēnā koe Jake
Your request for official information, reference: HNZ00078489
Thank you for your email on 5 February 2025, asking Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora (Health
NZ) for the following under the Of icial Information Act 1982 (the Act):
“Under the Official Information Act 1982, I would like to request information regarding
government contracts in the health IT sector, specifically focusing on:
1) Clinical Electronic Record Management: Systems used for storing, managing, and
accessing patients’ electronic health records.
2) Employment Match Algorithms: Software or algorithms used to match healthcare
professionals (e.g., junior doctors via ACE RMO) to job vacancies or placements within the
health system.
// Scope of Request
I am primarily interested in the following hospitals:
- North Shore Hospital
- Auckland City Hospital
- Middlemore Hospital
- Whangarei Hospital
If you find that retrieving information for all four hospitals exceeds the scope under Section
18(f) of the OIA (on the grounds that the information cannot be made available without
substantial collation or research), please limit the request to:
- Auckland City Hospital
- North Shore Hospital
- Middlemore Hospital
If that scope is stil considered too large under Section 18(f), further limit the request to:
- Auckland City Hospital
- North Shore Hospital
Finally, if it is stil too large, please limit the request only to:
- Auckland City Hospital
// Information Requested
1. Completed Contracts (Past Five Years)
A list of all government contracts completed in the past five years related to the areas
below:
- Clinical electronic record management
- Employment match algorithms (including software akin to ACE RMO for junior doctors)
For each completed contract, please provide (where available):
- The total value of the contract.
- The names of the vendors or contractors who were awarded the contracts.
- The completion date of the contract.
2. Current Contracts (as of Wednesday, 5 February 2025)
A list of all ongoing government contracts related to the above-mentioned areas. For each
ongoing contract, please include:
- The total value of the contract.
- The names of the vendors or contractors fulfil ing the contract.
- The expected completion date.
3. Tender Applications
- The number of applications received for tenders related to the above contracts.
- A brief summary of the selection criteria used (if available).
4. Upcoming Tenders (Next 5 Years)
- Any information regarding upcoming tenders for clinical electronic record management or
employment match algorithms anticipated within the next five years.
- Anticipated release dates (if known).
- Any relevant criteria for applicants (if available).
When referring to “employment match algorithms,” I am including software solutions or
processes similar to the ACE RMO system used for junior doctor placements, or any
equivalent platform where candidates are matched to roles via an algorithmic process.”
Response
I apologise for the delay in providing our response. As we noted in our tranche 1 response on 13
March 2025, we would address the remainder of your request in this (tranche 2) response.
Please note that we have considered all of the scoping parameters you have suggested in your
original request, such as your outline of how you would like information provided. Below, we have
addressed two parts of your request.
1) Clinical Electronic Record Management: Systems used for storing, managing, and
accessing patients’ electronic health records…
// Information Requested
1. Completed Contracts (Past Five Years)
A list of all government contracts completed in the past five years related to the areas below:
- Clinical electronic record management
- Employment match algorithms (including software akin to ACE RMO for junior doctors)
For each completed contract, please provide (where available):
- The total value of the contract.
- The names of the vendors or contractors who were awarded the contracts.
- The completion date of the contract.
2. Current Contracts (as of Wednesday, 5 February 2025)
A list of all ongoing government contracts related to the above-mentioned areas. For each ongoing
contract, please include:
- The total value of the contract.
- The names of the vendors or contractors fulfil ing the contract.
- The expected completion date.
Please refer to the at ached
Appendix One. This is a full list of application categories (and
subcategories) of Systems Landscape Solution Categories. We have shaded in green those
primarily used for storing, managing and accessing patients’ electronic health records.
Please note that we are unable to provide hospital-level data, although we can provide district-level
data for the Northern region districts. This information is attached in the spreadsheet labelled
Appendix Two. The spreadsheet provides
the numbers of applications used by the Northern
region districts that fall within the categories highlighted in
Appendix One.
As you will be aware, Health NZ holds personal and health information about our former and
current patients. It is critical that this information is and continues to be protected, and details about
which specific systems are used in each category are withheld under section 9(2)(c), to avoid
prejudice to measures protecting the health or safety of members of the public.
3. Tender Applications
- The number of applications received for tenders related to the above contracts.
- A brief summary of the selection criteria used (if available).
We note you have subsequently asked for completed contracts (past five years), current contracts,
tender applications, and upcoming tenders. On 5 May 2025, we contacted you requesting you to
refine this part of your request. We advised that, as it was worded and following attempts to gather
the relevant information, your request stil required a significant amount of collation and
consultation and we would need to divert personnel from their core duties.
As we have not received a response to our request for refinement, this part of your request is
refused under section 18(f), which provides that requests may be refused if the information
requested cannot be made available without substantial collation or research.
4. Upcoming Tenders (Next 5 Years)
- Any information regarding upcoming tenders for clinical electronic record management or
employment match algorithms anticipated within the next five years.
- Anticipated release dates (if known).
- Any relevant criteria for applicants (if available).
Health NZ is required to follow and comply with the Government Procurement Rules. Government
tenders for services are published on the Government Electronic Tender Service (GETS) website.
This is a free service managed by New Zealand Government Procurement that is designed to
promote open, fair competition for New Zealand Government contract opportunities.
To register please refer to the GETS website at the following link:
GETS - Government Electronic
Tender Service | Tender help.
To access the current tenders and for more information about the Government Procurement Rules
please use the following weblinks:
•
GETS - Government Electronic Tender Service | Current tenders.
•
NZGP home | New Zealand Government Procurement
2) Employment Match Algorithms: Software or algorithms used to match healthcare
professionals (e.g., junior doctors via ACE RMO) to job vacancies or placements within the
health system.
As noted in our previous response on 13 March 2025, this part of your request is refused under
section 18(e) of the Act because this information does not exist.
In making the decision to withhold information, I have considered the public interest considerations
in section 9(1) and do not consider that the withholding of this information is outweighed by other
considerations that would render it desirable, in the public interest, to make that information
available.
How to get in touch
If you have any questions, you can contact us at
[email address].
If you are not happy with this response, you have the right to make a complaint to the
Ombudsman. Information about how to do this is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
by phoning 0800 802 602.
Nāku iti noa, nā
Danielle Coe
Manager (OIAs) Government Services
