The Cortex rollout team (from left to right): Ros Jackson, Morten Viehoff, Udo Froetschl, Jane Merry, Kate Wilson, Emily Kirk, Julie Turner, Anna Janeic, Rheyden Howe, and Ralph Samson.
Patients at Timaru Hospital will benefit from faster access to information and better coordinated care following the introduction of a new digital patient documentation platform.
Saying goodbye to paper patient notes and processes, the new system gives healthcare teams real-time access to information, helping them make quicker decisions and plan care more effectively. Called Cortex, it allows clinicians to securely access and update patient records at the bedside using mobile devices, as well as receive test results and other diagnostic information as soon as they become available.
Clinicians can view a patient’s information in one place, providing a more complete picture of their care and supporting faster decision-making. The system also includes digital task management, allowing healthcare teams to assign, track and update patient care tasks, improving communication and helping ensure important actions are completed promptly.
Health New Zealand South Canterbury Chief Nurse Anna Wheeler led the governance team tasked with introducing Cortex to Timaru. She says the project required the input and support of multiple teams to ensure its success.
“Moving from paper notes to a modern electronic record system is a significant step forward for patient care in South Canterbury. It gives clinicians access to the information they need when they need it, helping them provide safer, more coordinated care.
“Cortex will give our teams real-time visibility of clinical records and patient observations, support communication and care planning between hospitals, and improve the quality and availability of clinical documentation.”
The integration of Cortex at Timaru Hospital has involved six months of planning and preparation across multiple teams, including the rollout of more than 200 new digital devices, improvements to Wi‑Fi capability within the hospital, and training for doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals to use the new system.
Health New Zealand Digital Services Programme Director Jon Herries says a significant amount of work has taken place behind the scenes to prepare South Canterbury for one of the biggest changes in healthcare delivery seen in recent years.
“Information is available immediately at the bedside and provides clinicians with a shared view of a patient’s care, wherever they are. This is particularly valuable for patients receiving care across both Timaru and Christchurch, with records available to clinicians in both locations at the same time.
“Having the right information available at the right time supports better communication between healthcare teams and helps ensure patients receive timely, well-coordinated care throughout their hospital journey.”
