The $220,000 Centre for Rural Health Development set up by Gore Health Ltd will use technology aimed at enhancing rural health systems as well as introducing a raft of new technologies, including health-care robots.
Gore Hospital chief executive Karl Metzler said the centre would support rural health initiatives implemented throughout New Zealand.
Gore Health, the Southern Institute of Technology (SIT) and the Gore Host Lions Club formed a partnership to set up the centre on the SIT campus in Kakapo St.
Health professionals from Canada, Australia, the United States, England and Scotland attended the opening of the centre last month. Mr Metzler said bookings for the centre had already begun to flood in and Gore Health already had a Ministry of Health contract to fund a trial role of physician assistant in Gore Hospital's emergency department.
He hoped he would be able to attract further ministry funding for subsequent initiatives.
Mr Metzler paid tribute to HealthTRX Ltd chief executive Anil Thapliyal, of Auckland, who was instrumental in bringing mental health experts from five countries to the opening.
The mental health experts were in New Zealand for the International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership exchange, centred in Auckland.
Among challenges that faced rural communities was recruiting doctors and nurses, Mr Metzler said.
During his first year as the hospital's chief executive in 2008, it posted a $350,000 loss - and most of that money was spent on locums, he said.
It was hoped the centre would raise Eastern Southland's profile and make the region an attractive place to work.
After the opening, Mr Metzler said the Government had changed its health-care focus - it wanted people treated close to their homes. Therefore, rural hospitals were in an ideal position to carry out that mandate.
''Hopefully, that translates into more funding,'' Mr Metzler said.
Gore Mayor Tracy Hicks said he marvelled at the initiative in the light of the struggle health services had gone through surrounding the closure of Seddon Memorial Hospital in the late 1990s. It appeared at that time there was no real hope for rural health in Eastern Southland, but the reverse was happening now.
He said the effort which had resulted in the centre being established was a testament to Gore Health and the community.
Gore Host Lions Club spokesman John Speden said the Lions and Gore Rotary had worked well together on the project.
''I think everybody was surprised at how quickly it came together,'' Mr Speden said, paying tribute to the supportive Gore community.
Gore Health Ltd operates Gore Hospital, which comprises a 16-bed inpatient ward, 24-hour emergency department, a four-bed maternity ward and services, GP practice, dental practice and allied and community health services.
It bought four health-care robots, or healthbots, for the centre to help reduce costs, save staff time and improve patients' long-term health. The three smaller healthbots cost $4000 each and the larger one $16,000.
The smaller healthbots aid older people in their homes. They remind them when and how to take medication, provide some entertainment and can call for help. They also have a Skype connection for contacting family, friends or medical staff and a range of therapy options, such as brain gym exercises.
The larger healthbot is stationed at Gore Health's GP services to perform health checks on patients before they visit the doctor. It can check blood pressure, heart rate and other vital signs and send the data direct to the doctor's computer.
Two smaller healthbots will also be lent to Gore Health by the University of Auckland. - The Ensign
