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Health Tech And Resilient Communities

A Healthier Future

Christchurch is unique in its approach to health care and community as a city that cares about people. A new central city health precinct brings together research and development partners and Te Whatu Ora Waitaha (formally CDHB) to prototype health tech solutions in areas such as machine learning, virtual healthcare, wearables and bio-metrics, and lead on health system and data management solutions. It's about creating a happier, healthier future.

 

Health-Tech Superstars

All Right?

A collaboration between Te Whatu Ora Waitaha (formally CDHB), the Mental Health Foundation and Healthy Christchurch, All Right? supports people to become more aware of their mental health and wellbeing, and to take small and regular steps to improve it. They complete research, raise awareness, and create tools that promote their goal of public mental wellbeing.

ARANZ Medical

ARANZ Medical Ltd is an innovator of medical solutions, specialising in 3D scanning that transforms clinical processes in wound care, orthotics and prosthetics. Based in Christchurch, their technology has applications to assist in both clinical research and practice.

CerebralFix

A Christchurch-based game developer delivering virtual reality apps to help people recover from traumatic brain injuries. CerebralFix created the apps in collaboration with Callaghan Innovation, the University of Otago, and the Burwood Academy of Independent Living (BAIL), with inspiration from research conducted by the Laura Fergusson Trust.

Comrad

Comrad optimises patient flow and efficiency by providing innovative, technology driven workflow solutions. Established more than thirty years ago, Comrad is now the leading provider in Australia and New Zealand for radiology information solutions. 

Enztec

Enztec is based in Christchurch and manufactures orthopaedic instruments for implant companies and orthopaedic surgeons worldwide. They have made innovations in sports medicine and ACL surgery, and export worldwide from their base in Canterbury.

Mars Bioimaging

Mars Bioimaging is a Christchurch-based company able to create full-colour x-ray images (small bore spectral CT scanners). Run by father and son researchers Anthony and Philip Butler, Mars was formed in 2007 and has won many awards. They are world leaders in their field and have built a skilled team in Christchurch to develop their offering to the health tech sector.

Medsalv

Medsalv is determined to reduce waste in the healthcare industry by working with hospitals to reuse single-use medical devices. The initiative also aims to reduce cost for healthcare providers. Started by University of Canterbury graduate Oli Hunt, the Christchurch company has received numerous awards and grants.

Myovolt

By harnessing Focal Vibration engineered for the body, Myovolt have taken wearable performance tech to the next level. Myovolt is not only effective as a muscle warm-up device, but it is a unique technology for muscle recovery too. Myovolt is now widely used by clinicians, physios, trainers, elite athletes, weekend warriors and anyone who needs muscle recovery.

Ossis

Ossis specialises in custom implants catering to the individual needs of patients and surgeons worldwide. Ossis draws upon over 20 years of clinical orthopaedic experience and has been delivering custom implants for more than 10 years.

oVRcome

oVRcome use innovative technologies to improve mental wellbeing. They unite clinical expertise and cutting-edge virtual reality to help people overcome their fears and anxieties in the privacy and comfort of their own home.

Sense Medical

Sense Medical are the developer of Cortex, a clinician-designed iOS app and data platform, supporting care teams to seamlessly manage clinical tasks, investigations, and documentation, as well as capture valuable patient journey information. Cortex also captures invaluable data related to inefficiencies and waste in current care workflows, enabling organisations to identify opportunities to increase the quality of care provided to patients.

oVRcome Skydiving Over Sumner

Case Study - oVRcome

Scared of needles? A Christchurch start-up has developed a virtual reality form of exposure therapy to address phobias and social anxiety. Footage shot in the region could help people around the world overcome their fears and anxiety.
Read oVRcome Case Study
Myovolt Wearable Physio Technology

Myovolt

Considering whether or not to enter the Food, Fibre, and Agritech Challenge? ChristchurchNZ spoke to Dr Dianne Jones, founder of Myovolt.

Innovation Ecosystem Support

Canterbury Health Innovation

Canterbury Health Innovation is a non-profit organisation helping Canterbury’s health community to succeed at home and worldwide. Regular meetups – sign up to their mailing list. 

Te Whatu Ora Waitaha (formally CDHB)

A space where clinicians, engineers, architects, and user groups are rethinking how health services are provided, and testing ideas to see how they perform in real-life situations. Following extensive research and interviews with more than 100 patients and their families to find out what they wanted from a hospital environment, the Design Lab team visited facilities around the world, including aircraft manufacturers, to learn what they could about maximising space.

Te Papa Hauora

Christchurch’s Health Precinct - Te Papa Hauora is a collaborative partnership between Canterbury’s major tertiary and health institutions; the University of Canterbury, the University of Otago, Ara Institute of Canterbury and Te Whatu Ora Waitaha (formally CDHB), working together with representatives from Ngāi Tūāhuriri. Te Papa Hauora is a hub for health education, research and innovation. Manawa, located in the Christchurch Hospital campus, is a state-of-the-art facility home to Ara nursing, midwifery and medical imaging students and teaching staff, University of Canterbury researchers and post-graduate students as well as Canterbury District Health Board staff. Staff and students are provided with opportunities to collaborate and innovate with individuals from Canterbury’s health system.

The Digital Health Association

The Digital Health Association is a membership organisation representing New Zealand digital health industry sector. Explore The Digital Health Association's regular Christchurch events.

VIA Innovations

VIA Innovations, part of Te Whatu Ora Waitaha (formally CDHB), connect ideas to industry, innovators to investors, health to enterprise. The VIA team support people with good ideas for the health system, helping to get their innovations out to the people and communities that need them.

With Orion Health being one of NZ's most iconic and successful Health Technology exporters, and CDHB being recognised as a world leader in health systems across the globe, and with both organisations being in Christchurch we are perfectly placed to collaborate and partner to take innovation to the world stage. The strategic intent behind this collaboration is to bring both of our teams’ skills and expertise together to deliver technology enabled health outcomes to improve the health of many people who touch our solutions. This collaboration also provides Orion Health with a NZ reference for its global customers.
Duncan Poxon, Orion Health

Access To Talent

Canterbury institutions lead and grow people in health-tech programmes, with the following graduate flows as a percentage of national:

  • Networking and Cloud computing  18%
  • Science – Chemistry  18%
  • Mechanical Engineering  19%
  • Manufacturing Engineering  21%
  • Science - Earth Science  23%
  • Science – Physics  24%
  • Engineering and Related Technologies not elsewhere classified  34%
  • Chemical Engineering  37%
Endosoothe Tea

Endosoothe

Thoughtfully crafted products, resources, education, and a strong online community for women.
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Sean from Precision Chroma in safety gear holding a column.

Precision Chroma

Precision Chroma founder and CEO Sean Feast is looking to revolutionise the biotech industry with his 3D-printed chromatology columns.

Read Q&A with Sean Feast
Business Case Studies Eve Ji Presentation

Health Tech Student Case Study - Eve Ji

International student Eve Ji's decision to study in Christchurch resulted in her dream job at Pegasus Health.
Read Eve Ji Case Study
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