A report on health services on the West Coast recommends Grey Base Hospital should specialise in rural health and eventually employ specifically trained staff.
The report says the hospital should become what it calls a "centre of excellence."
This would mean using the coast's innovation and self-reliance to develop solutions to the challenges of providing health services to an isolated community.
The West Coast district health board says the project's success would depend on strong ties with Christchurch medical staff.
It has already adopted the recommendation to establish a formal clinical partnership with the Canterbury DHB - a move it says has been welcomed there.
The West Coast DHB says redevelopment of Grey Base Hospital, as outlined in the report, would mean fewer beds, but doctors say more services would be provided, reducing patient travel requirements.
