Nominations are open for the Clinical Informatics Leadership Award 2021.
The Clinical Informatics Leadership Network, (CiLN) worked in partnership with Health Informatics New Zealand (HiNZ) to launch the award in 2019 to recognise the
leadership, contribution and achievements of clinicians working in the field of data and digital health.
Spark Health is supporting the award for the third year, providing $5,000 in funding for the winner to attend a
conference or do further study. They will also receive a free pass and speaking slot at Digital Health Week NZ 2022.
Becky George won the 2019 award and now sits on the judging panel.
“While many clinicians are working hard to effect long term change to benefit their colleagues and consumers, there is
often an individual who stands out for their ability to lead, support, effect change and provide governance across the
design, implementation and use of digital solutions,” she says.
“Nominating your colleague for this award will enable them to access opportunities, training and partnerships that will
not only benefit them, but their colleagues and the system as well.”
More than 1000 votes were cast to decide the 2020 Award winner, Waitematā DHB clinical adviser digital innovations and specialist anaesthetist, Lara Hopley. Hopley has now joined the
judging panel for this year’s award, which also includes Ministry of Health deputy director-general data and digital,
Shayne Hunter.
In 2020, CiLN published a Clinical Informatics Position Statement, which details five key ways in which clinical informaticians bring value to the sector, which are; expertise, clinical
leadership, stakeholder engagement, competence and capability, and communication.
The 2021 award is looking for a clinical informatician who best demonstrates the ‘value added’ in two of these areas.
Spark Health chief executive Will Reedy says 2021 is a year where the leadership and work of health informaticians
across the sector is becoming increasingly important.
“The clinical leadership provided by the health informatics community will be a critical component in achieving the
ambitions of the sector to improve the future of healthcare for New Zealanders,” he says.
“We look forward to seeing the quality of nominations that have arisen out of the challenges of 2020, looking forward to
solving the issues of tomorrow.”
To be eligible for the award you must be a member of CiLN, which is free to join and open to anyone with a clinical
background and an interest in clinical informatics.
Nominations close on 19 August 2021 and three finalists will be chosen by the judging panel. A public vote will decide
the winner, who will be announced at Digital Health Week NZ 2021, from 29 November to 31 December 2021 at TSB Arena in Wellington.