Clinical Informatics Leadership Award 2021 Voting Open Now

Voting is open to select the winner of the 2021 Clinical Informatics Leadership Award. VOTE NOW

The three finalists are; Karl Cole, chief clinical information officer at healthAlliance; Steve Earnshaw, chief clinical innovation officer 3DHB; and Ruth Large, Whakarongorau Aotearoa: New Zealand Telehealth Services, chief clinical officer.

Each finalist is profiled on eHealthNews.nz and people have until 5pm October 7 to vote.

The winner will be announced at Digital Health Week 2021 in Wellington this November 29 – December 1.

The 2021 award attracted eight nominations from across New Zealand, representing different professions and across sectors of the health and disability system.

A three-person judging panel; deputy director general data and digital Shayne Hunter; Clinical Informatics Leadership Award 2020 winner and Clinical Advisor Digital Innovations at Waitematā DHB, Lara Hopley; and HiNZ board chair and the 2019 award winner Rebecca George, selected the finalists.

The judges said the award recognises the mahi and commitment many clinicians deliver across services, systems and agencies.

“It is evident that there is a growing depth of knowledge, skill and experience within the clinical informatics community and the judges were very pleased to receive a variety of nominations from a wide range of clinical leaders, who showed an increasing breadth of involvement in clinical informatics.”

Karl Cole is a strong advocate for data liquidity and interoperability, which give him a unique perspective on digital projects.

“Working across regions and multiple stakeholders, Cole has demonstrated strategic acuity and an ability to ensure technical solutions align with real world clinical implications,” the judges said.

Steve Earnshaw has demonstrated significant clinical leadership in his recent work across Capital & Coast DHB and across the 3DHBs.

“He has grown a talented and skilled clinical informatics team that is realising benefits across the organisation and directly to the consumer. His strategic vision and leadership are evident in local, regional and national programme involvement,” the judges said.

Ruth Large has been a significant driver behind multiple digital health initiatives.

“Her leadership across services, organisations and professions has been evident in the national development and uptake of telehealth, localised digital health records, and regional digital accessibility,” the judges said.

The winner will receive a free pass and speaking slot at Digital Health Week NZ 2022 and $5000 from Spark Health, which they can use to fund further study or attend an international conference.

Spark Health chief executive Will Reedy says the organisation is really pleased to see such a high calibre of the finalists in 2021.

“The Spark Health Whanau are privileged to work with Karl, Steve and Ruth on a regular basis and get to see first hand the difference they make at a local, regional and national level,” he says.

“We look forward to the public vote over the coming weeks to see which one of these deserving finalists will win the 2021 CiLN award.”

Read profiles of each of the finalists on eHealthNews.nz and VOTE NOW

Karl Cole

Steve Earnshaw

Ruth Large

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