Insight for Sunday 16 March 2014
There's a huge online revolution underway in health, with big potential benefits for the public.
E-health, through so-called patient portals, will provide online access to personal health information, similar to online banking.
The system enables patients to renew prescriptions, receive lab-test results online, book appointments and possibly even see a doctor's comments written following consultations.
It's a top priority for the Government to give New Zealanders online access to their personal health information by year end.
A major aim of the change is to empower patients to manage their own health better, especially those with long-term conditions. It's also the biggest change for family doctors' practices in decades.
Radio New Zealand's Health Correspondent, Karen Brown, considers all the implications.