Canterbury Health System widens Celo messaging network

Canterbury Health System widens Celo secure messaging network

A growing number of Canterbury clinicians are embracing the digital age with the ability to safely share information between mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets.

Users of the Celo App can communicate with each other, send documents and photographs, and safely share patient details within a secure, encrypted, NZ Ministry of Health-approved, digital network. Patients can be assured that no information is stored on the actual device, so if a device gets lost or stolen that information stays confidential.

Canterbury District Health Board is extending the utilisation of Celo through making the secure messaging platform available to all Canterbury health service providers, from community-based care through to general practice, to specialists in a hospital environment.

The Canterbury DHB will support the network by inviting other health providers in the region to join the Celo network – it became the first to join in late 2015.

Since then, Stella Ward, Executive Lead Innovation and ICT for Canterbury and West Coast District Health Boards, has been a passionate advocate.

“We have been actively involved in the development and enhancement of the platform through providing ongoing clinical feedback – which is why we’re absolutely delighted that investment is about to translate into benefit for a wider group of staff, and for patients.” Stella says.

“More than ever as we progress towards digital solutions becoming embedded in every aspect of care, it’s vital that clinicians can share information via systems like Celo. It’s no less than our public would expect, when technology enables them to share so much through social networks.

“Unlike those networks Celo is secure and targeted so that the sender has total control over where it goes.”

Celo CEO Steve Vlok says his team are excited about expanding the Celo network in the Canterbury Health system, to enhance the system’s patient-centred care model.

The Celo App has been developed by healthcare professionals from the ground up and has been specially designed for easy use in a clinical setting. Celo, a recent finalist in the 2017 New Zealand Health IT Innovation Awards, enables secure, encrypted and industry-compliant real-time messaging for clinicians. Celo will feature at the Health Informatics New Zealand conference 2017 - New Zealand's largest annual digital health event in Rotorua this week.

“Celo not only connects health professionals securely but it also achieves this without interrupting clinical workflow and can further assist when meeting face-to-face isn’t possible,” says Steve.

He added that discussions with other District Health Boards in New Zealand are continuing. With the Celo system, DHBs can affordably provide secure communication for their clinicians too.

To learn more visit www.celohealth.com.

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