Chief Executive to depart Cluster

27 November 2013

Chief Executive to depart Cluster

New Zealand Health IT Cluster Chief Executive has informed the Cluster Board of his intention to depart the role in the first quarter of 2014.

“I am immensely proud of our achievements over the past four years with our membership growing by almost 50% and the industry making significant progress delivering innovative solutions both at home and in export markets,” Cluster Chief Executive Dougal McKechnie said.

The New Zealand health IT industry exports to over 30 health systems around the world and generates around $NZ250 million in export revenues per annum.

“The recent trade mission to San Francisco and Washington DC leveraging the Americas Cup challenge is a good example of the value the Cluster adds to the industry and to New Zealand’s business growth agenda, Dougal McKechnie said.

“The Washington DC leg of the mission, in particular, focused on military healthcare and provided unprecedented access to influential decision makers and experts in the US military health system which is a potentially significant and largely untapped market offering significant prospects.”

The Cluster is an alliance of organisations interested in health IT, comprising software and solution developers, consultants, health policy makers, health funders, infrastructure companies, healthcare providers, and academic institutions.

“The Cluster is not an industry lobby group in the traditional sense – we take a more cooperative and strategic approach by bringing together both private and public sector organisations with an interest in increasing the capability, innovation and investment in Health IT,” Dougal McKechnie said. Level 2, City Chambers, Cnr Featherston & Johnston Street, PO Box 10-087, Wellington 6143 Phone 04 815-8177 Fax 09 479-4530

“New Zealand is recognised as a centre of excellence for health technology world-wide, and we are ahead of the game in the areas of connecting health providers and improving information exchange between them.”

“We have an international reputation for fresh creative thinking and innovation. As technology is increasingly embraced we are able to improve the productivity of our health system and meet increasing patient demand for high quality, real-time information.”

Dougal McKechnie said he felt the time is right for a new Chief Executive to take the health IT industry to greater successes in coming years.

“The Cluster Board will be seeking a replacement and I will be actively supporting them in the transition to ensure we maintain momentum, and to provide reassurance and continuity to our strategic partners,” Dougal McKechnie said.

“No firm date for my departure has been decided yet, but I anticipate it will be toward the end of the first quarter of next year.”

Cluster Chair and Simpl group CEO Jodi Mitchell said she supported Dougal’s decision to move on to new challenges.

“Dougal has been a tremendous asset for the Cluster and for the industry, however we support his decision to move on and agree with him that the time is right to bring new thinking and leadership on board in order to make the most of the future opportunities,” Jodi Mitchell said.

“We wish Dougal all the best wherever his new direction may take him and cannot thank him enough for his tremendous contribution to the industry and to the health sector.”

[ENDS]

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