Karen Blake appointed to Chair of Health Informatics NZ

21 January 2022

PwC New Zealand warmly congratulates Karen Blake, Digital Health Leader, on her appointment as Chair of Health Informatics NZ (HiNZ). 

HiNZ is a not-for-profit organisation that supports the field of digital health. Its member community is diverse and includes allied health professionals, nurses, midwives, doctors, managers, analysts, consultants, policy makers and academics. 

Karen has been on the HiNZ board for the last two years as the organisation has adapted through COVID-19. 

“Pre-COVID, HiNZ ran the biggest digital health conference in Australasia, with more than 1400 delegates attending. In the last 18-months we’ve had to pivot HiNZ into a media company, changing how we interact with our members to support the digital health community to stay connected and evolve as we move into the next phase of the organisation.”

Karen says both in her role with HiNZ and the PwC Digital Health practice she leads, the main challenge is supporting the health and disability system through the once-in-a-generation transformation that’s currently underway.

“There are priorities across the health system that we need to be responsive to; changing models of care, systemic inequity, the establishment of Health NZ, the Māori Health Authority, a new Ministry for Disabled People and supporting all kiwis to manage their health and wellbeing in the community. The key enablers for these changes are data and digital.” 

Karen says she is both excited and humbled to be entrusted with the role and is honoured to be elected by the board to lead HiNZ.

“I look forward to supporting the amazing CEO Kim Mundell who is achieving fantastic things. I couldn’t lead the organisation into the next phase with honouring the legacy of previous board chairs, and I’m delighted that Becky George is remaining on the board.”