Proudly supported by the Starship Foundation
Worldwide, people living in rural or remote areas struggle to access timely, quality speciality
medical care. This is primarily because specialists are more likely to be located in areas of
concentrated population.
Through innovations in computing and telecommunications technology, many elements of
medical practice and communication can be accomplished when patients and caregivers are
geographically separated. This separation could be across the city, across the country, or even
across the world.
The Starship Foundation and Paediatric Society of NZ understood the need to make use of new
technology for New Zealand’s paediatric community and created the New Zealand
TelePaediatric Service (NZTPS). The Starship Foundation canvassed the paediatric community
to obtain their views and establish objectives that coincide with their needs. This ultimately
created a not-for-profit incorporated society that is owned and directed by New Zealand's
paediatric healthcare providers.
Initially NZTPS connected 10 District Health Boards with the objective of establishing the
service as an important component of paediatric communication. Now that the usage of the
service has become more of a core competency, NZTPS is endeavouring to connect as many
centres as possible to create a truly national Telemedicine Service.
The recommendations contained within the government’s document ‘Through the Eyes of the
Child’ established the need for a telemedicine network for paediatric service delivery. Feedback
from the paediatric community assisted in the establishment of the following aims for NZTPS:

To significantly reduce the time and expense to patients that travelling to specialist
healthcare involves. Emotional and physical dislocation from family and friends can also be
far more pronounced when children are involved.

To draw on expert healthcare services by linking remote sites with key medical centres for
long distance evaluation and teaching by appropriate medical specialists, and to allow
persons undertaking clinical research to be linked together despite geographical separation. It
provides a collegial communications network which reduces isolation and provides access to
highly skilled paediatric service providers through Grand Rounds, Paediatric Clinical and
Nursing Updates, education, remote conference participation and institutional knowledge
sharing.

To improve medical education for health care professionals. Where teaching or clinical
sessions are linked to several hospitals, the availability of additional expertise may prove
invaluable for patients and healthcare professionals alike.
Equity of access and availability was identified as a most compelling need and strategy of
national paediatric service delivery. NZTPS has been designed to ensure equal access regardless
of geographical location.
NZTPS endeavours to supply the best possible quality of service to patients and paediatric
caregivers with minimal cost or inconvenience.
Centres connected to the service are Whangarei, Auckland (Starship, Kidz First, ACH Paediatric
Cardiology and Puawaitahi), Hamilton, Tauranga, Whakatane, Palmerston North, Wellington,
Christchurch and Dunedin. Hawkes Bay, Rotorua, Taupo and Invercargill are in the process of
connecting at present.
NZTPS is pleased to have a sponsorship and network services agreement with Telecom New
Zealand. These agreements provide beneficial technical and structural support.
Dr Michael Sullivan, a Paediatric Oncologist from Christchurch Hospital is the Chairman of the
service, Simon Hayden is National Manager, and Murray Silverstone is in charge of education
and content, both Murray and Simon are based at Starship.