We need to innovate, and look at what solutions are available outside Thai borders. We need to implement cost-effective systems that save time and can be tailored to fit within our existing healthcare infrastructure. Thailand also requires solutions that are practical for use in rural or remote areas that are lacking the staff or clinical facilities available in the bigger cities.

Across Thailand, medical providers have been looking to our Asia Pacific neighbors to provide affordable, adaptable technology. Today, a number of these solutions are coming from New Zealand. I have had the opportunity to work with a number of innovative New Zealand healthcare management systems and see first-hand the benefits they provide in a fast-paced, clinical environment.

New Zealand faces similar healthcare challenges to Thailand, with an aging population, increasing medical demand and a shortage of skilled medical professionals.

To help address some of these challenges, New Zealand implemented its National Health Index more than 20 years ago. The country is focused on developing and refining healthcare technology and information management systems for its own healthcare sector, and is exporting these around the world - including to South East Asia. New Zealand has developed cost-effective and innovative technological solutions that are flexible and can be customized to suit local needs in Thailand.

One recent example of the Thai and New Zealand healthcare sectors working together is the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed earlier this year between the Bangkok Hospital and New Zealand company Precept. This MoU will see New Zealand technology integrated into existing patient information systems.