September 28, 2019 11:00am by David Farrar

$8,300 per consultation

Waikato health bosses desperate to be first with a new virtual doctor tool sidestepped warnings from staff and procurement rules designed to safeguard public money.
The finding is one of many in a damning report released Thursday into Waikato DHB’s dealings with US start-up company HealthTap, and its SmartHealth product.
SmartHealth was designed to ease workflows for doctors and allow people to consult medics remotely, but the two-year contract was canned after costs blew out to $25.7 million, nearly $9 million more than anticipated.
About 3100 consultations were made through SmartHealth, with each consult effectively costing taxpayers $8300 before it was axed.

It’s so easy to spend other people’s money.