Some rural and remote regions of New Zealand are still experiencing unreliable internet connections. If you’re a healthcare provider trying to keep your rural community well, this can severely disrupt services and impact on people and patients’ health and wellbeing. If you’re a person living rurally with a complex health condition this can make things really challenging.
Approximately 20% of Kiwis live rurally, where accessing healthcare is already a challenge1. Reliable connectivity is an essential component of timely care delivery, effective monitoring, medical records accessibility, and collaboration among healthcare professionals. Without stable internet, patients risk delays in treatment and diagnostics, leading to poorer health outcomes.
Reliable connectivity when traditional infrastructure fails
The Ministry for the Environment projects extreme weather events to increase in frequency and severity in the coming years, with adverse impacts on New Zealand’s infrastructure and communities2. These events, including storms and flooding, can disrupt traditional internet infrastructure, further isolating rural areas. Satellite internet provides the solution to this growing issue, offering high-speed, low-latency internet connections, so healthcare providers in these regions can continue to operate even when traditional infrastructure fails.
Critical connectivity for continuity of care
Satellite internet is especially important during emergencies. It allows rural healthcare facilities to maintain connectivity and continuity of care when natural disasters or network failures occur. Additionally, mobile health teams benefit from robust, portable internet solutions that enable real-time communication and access to critical patient data. With a global market growth projection of 6.9% annually, rural healthcare services around the world are seeing the value of satellite connectivity in service accessibility and delivery.
In partnership with Starlink and Netlinkz, we are thrilled to be able to deliver satellite internet and enhance access to healthcare in even the most isolated communities.
We are actively working with Health New Zealand and Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network to identify and work with communities that are challenged with variable connectivity. We are currently supporting mobile providers with mobile Starlink that is connected to advanced telehealth monitoring and diagnostic equipment, in other areas we are bringing specialist hospital services closer to home enabling pre and post procedural care.
As we develop these sites we will alongside our partners start to share the outcomes we are achieving – it’s exciting to have the technology enabling greater equity in such a clear way for individuals and communities.