Recognised as a world-leader in healthcare technology, New Zealand’s innovative health solutions are set to support the GCC health sector as it grows a predicted 25 percent in the next two years.

Six New Zealand healthcare companies are participating at Arab Health this month, supported by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE), the New Zealand government’s economic development agency.

These companies include ARANZ Medical, leaders in 3D modelling technology, Educating Global, a comprehensive health education consultancy and Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, world leaders in respiratory care. They will be joined by Mercer Middle East, designers of innovative sterilisation and infection control solutions, Orion Health, provider of clinical workflow and integration technology and Winscribe, who offer digital dictation devices.

New Zealand Trade and Enterprise’s Dubai-based Trade Commissioner, Wayne Mikkelsen commented on New Zealand’s proven ability to provide resourceful and innovative solutions that have already been successful in the Middle East.

“The Gulf’s growing health sector is of great strategic importance to New Zealand and presents considerable opportunities for trade with the GCC. The country’s health IT vendors have valuable experience in developing practical, cost effective, integrated solutions that meet the demand of modern healthcare and transfer well to other markets such as those in this region. “

“Increasingly we are seeing the Gulf embrace New Zealand’s healthcare technologies to help cope with its health boom,” Mr Mikkelsen said.

Recent industry research estimates the GCC population will double to about 80 million over the next two decades, making improving the quality of healthcare a critical challenge for governments across the Gulf.

The region is already undergoing an unprecedented hospital building programme and the area will soon become home to some of the most technologically advanced hospitals in the world. This places heavy demand on technology, equipment and infrastructure to support this growth.

New Zealand’s health sector is well versed in creating technology to drive efficiencies and deliver better health outcomes. The country’s size and relatively small, dispersed population have led to pioneering uses of technology and a flexible, highly responsive approach to meeting healthcare requirements.

New Zealand’s expertise is particularly recognised in the area of electronic health records. With patient volumes in the GCC steadily increasing and new facilities being delivered, growing issues such as patient record management provide a solid opportunity for health IT companies.

To help streamline the process New Zealand company Orion Health, the country’s largest health software company, offers a single sign-on clinical surface and a number of workflow solutions that ease access to patient data and analyse trends, thereby reducing errors and streamlining information flow.

“Typically, large healthcare organisations have a broad variety of enterprise and departmental applications, each of which contains its own data and usually has its own security mechanism. The Orion technology makes integration through interoperability simple and effective,” says Ed Percy, Orion Health Business Development Director (EMEA).

New Zealand also leads the way in heated humidification therapy, guided by Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, one of New Zealand’s leading healthcare experts in the Middle East and North Africa. The company’s respiratory humidifiers and obstructive sleep apnea devices bring relief to millions of people in this region and over 100 countries worldwide.

“Fisher & Paykel Healthcare have been working in the Middle East for over 20 years and have built up a solid base of clients, however we recognise that the coming years hold much growth for health technology providers in the region and the Arab Health Expo is a key networking opportunity for us,” Simon Hall, Regional Director of Fisher & Paykel Healthcare said.

Arab Health 2010 will take place from the 25th-28th January at the Dubai International Conference & Exhibition Centre.
“While New Zealand may be geographically isolated we are also a nation that is globally connected. Our place in the world shapes our perspective and it drives New Zealanders to look outward, seize and realise opportunity and work together to excel in the global economy,” said Mr Mikkelsen.

“Arab Health is the perfect forum for New Zealand companies to reach out and grow in this region and the future for New Zealand healthcare providers in the GCC is bright.”