IT firm Datacom has bought a 20 percent stake in an Australian health technology start-up, which has the potential to both allow nurses to spend more time with their patients and save hospitals millions of dollars.
Datacom will also provide all the business development, marketing and other support services to SmartWard.
SmartWard's technology automates nursing records and helps manage nursing workflow.
Clinical trials have shown big increases in the time nurses are able to spend with patients.
A study by the accounting firm Deloitte found that because people heal faster, treatment errors are avoided and re-admissions minimised, meaning hospitals could save $50,000 a year per bed.
Datacom investments director Mark McWilliams said the unique software was keenly focused on improving people's health.
"The big thing that stuck out for me is that nurses really like using the system. When I've had occasion to talk to nurses, they have a fairly low view of technology because mostly technology is implemented putting additional administrative burden on them."
Datacom is owned by the Holdsworth family, the New Zealand Superannuation Fund and senior management.
