EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients.
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Scott Blackwood | EY New Zealand
I rejoined EY in 2012, armed with a Computer Science degree, an MBA, and a post-graduate certificate from Harvard, to drive transformation in New Zealand through technology and innovation. With over 25 years of experience in tech-enabled business transformations globally, I've founded a cloud company and learned the critical importance of data, digital methods, and execution. I'm proud of EY's advancements in digital and AI, and I'm excited about the future benefits we can achieve with our teams.
Why is optimising your supply chains /procurement so important?
Supply and value chains are the backbone of every business, connecting customer needs with the delivery of products and services. They start from the suppliers' suppliers and extend to the customers' customers, flowing through a company and its partnerships. How well these chains operate defines a business's success. Leading businesses recognise supply chains/ procurement as a competitive differentiator.
However, most organisations are tactical and ineffective, but those who automate repetitiveness and optimise their operations and third party spend, tend to be more strategic and successful. What exam questions do you have about your supply chains? Effective supply chain management will answer these questions.
How can the health sector better optimise their supply chain / procurement?
The health sector could get ahead of their supply chain issues by planning inventory requirements better. Better demand management/ forecasting would significantly reduce the excessive inventory holding and material handling we see today. Optimising the distribution network would reduce duplication and redundancy. Furthermore, if good inventory management was introduced the ability to see where stock is, how old it is and how critical it is the sector would be able to manage lead times and days of cover.
Lastly by injecting good procurement practice, the sector would be able to deploy strategic category management, supplier relationship management and effective strategic sourcing to get better spend management and reduction of costs. All of this requires better data and digital tools that are readily available across most good businesses today. By following this good supply chain practice, we would significantly reduce the costs of our health sector and free up valuable capital to hire more doctors, nurses and pay them better while delivering a better, more reliable service to New Zealanders.
Greg Woolley | Technology Consulting, EY New Zealand
Tell us a little about yourself?
My career started in the Royal New Zealand Navy as a junior Officer, then graduated from the University of Auckland with a first-class honours degree in Electrical Engineering. After further training with the Royal Navy in the UK, I served three years at sea on HMNZS Wellington. I then moved to Defence Headquarters in Wellington, managing communication and weapon systems projects.
In 1997, I transitioned to the tech consulting world and founded several companies, notably Certus and Red Moki. Certus became the second largest Kiwi-owned IT services firm, and Red Moki was the top ServiceNow partner in NZ, also ranking as the 6th fastest growing Kiwi company in 2022.
My journey led me to EY in October 2022, following EY's acquisition of Red Moki. I'm now leading EY's ServiceNow practice in New Zealand.
How can ServiceNow help businesses improve?
The ServiceNow platform streamlines and automates business processes, enabling companies to operate more efficiently. By centralising various functions such as IT services, human resources, and customer service into one integrated system, ServiceNow reduces the need for multiple disparate tools and the associated costs of maintaining them. This consolidation not only simplifies the IT infrastructure but also provides a clear and unified view of processes, helping businesses to identify and eliminate inefficiencies. As a result, companies can reduce operational costs, minimise manual labour through automation, and improve response times, all of which contribute to significant cost savings.
How can ServiceNow help the health sector?
It will be essential for Health New Zealand to standardise operations across the whole country as the ongoing consolidation of the former DHBs continues. ServiceNow can be the “digital workflow” to support Health New Zealand to achieve significant productivity improvements and cost savings.
Some candidate areas could be:
- Patient Services and Experience: ServiceNow can enhance patient interaction with health services by providing a more streamlined and responsive system for scheduling appointments, accessing health records, and managing patient inquiries. This leads to improved patient satisfaction and potentially better health outcomes.
- Operational Efficiency: By automating routine administrative tasks, ServiceNow can free up healthcare professionals to focus more on patient care. This includes automating workflows for patient admissions, discharge processes, and other critical healthcare operations, which can reduce wait times and improve service delivery.
- Compliance and Governance: The healthcare industry is subject to stringent regulatory requirements. ServiceNow can help Health New Zealand maintain compliance with health regulations through better management of data, clear audit trails, and automated reporting, thus reducing the risk of unfavourable outcomes.
- Resource Management: ServiceNow can optimise the use of healthcare resources, including staff scheduling, inventory management, and equipment maintenance. This ensures that resources are used efficiently, reducing waste and operational costs.
- Interdepartmental Collaboration: ServiceNow could facilitate better communication and collaboration between different departments within Health New Zealand. This can lead to more coordinated care, faster response times, and improved overall efficiency in the healthcare system.
Ken Wallace | EY New Zealand
Tell us a little about yourself?
I’m Irish, an engineer by training and have worked in professional services and industry roles for almost thirty years. My career has been all oriented around helping large organisations to transform service to deliver better value to the customers or citizens they serve. I joined EY in 2011 to establish our technology practice in New Zealand and have led our Cyber and Technology Risk practices. Currently I am EY’s AI & Data leader for New Zealand.
I have a Bachelors and Post Graduate degree in Engineering and Engineering Science and a graduate of the Auckland Business School Excelerator leadership programme and the EY Harvard Leadership Programme.
Why is data & ai important, how can ai help with the interpretation of data?
Data is a part of everything every organisation in New Zealand does every single day, every single interaction, every single transaction. We believe that data and AI to harness it, has massive value potential for our clients as they work to more efficiently create more valuable services for the customers and citizens they serve. Our large New Zealand based, and global AI & Data team helps our clients end to end through their data journey. We help clients define practical and balanced (and deliverable) strategies to make meaningful progress without breaking the bank. Once the way ahead is clear our engineers support our clients to build and run data pipelines and analytics labs so they can make more of their data day-in-day out.
What can data & ai bring to the health sector?
Healthcare is relentlessly challenging for those who provide it. Service delivery is complex, constantly stretched and constantly changing. Our AI & Data capabilities can make a difference by helping our healthcare clients to mine, refine and apply the vast amounts of data in their organisations to help create new digital capabilities for citizens, clinicians and health leaders. Beyond platform and data engineering, our advanced analytics capability can help our clients to define better and more data driven strategies, to model and optimise operations and to enable more transparent and more agile and responsive day to day operations.
Meredith Wilmot | EY Partner
Tell us a little about yourself?
With more than 20 years of service with EY in various international roles, I apply my expertise in human resources, legal, and tax fields to assist clients with numerous aspects of human capital – including operational models, organisational structuring, experience management during change, HR-related transactions, and crafting strategic workforce plans. My academic qualifications include a Bachelor of Commerce and Laws from the University of Canterbury, and I am legally recognised as a Barrister and Solicitor in the High Court of New Zealand.
Why is taking a human/people centred approach important?
In the health sector, adopting a human/people-centred approach is particularly crucial because it directly impacts individuals' health outcomes and quality of life. By placing the human at the centre of healthcare services, it ensures that medical treatments and care plans are tailored to the specific needs, preferences, and values of each patient. This personalised approach not only enhances patient satisfaction and engagement but also leads to more effective healthcare interventions. It encourages a deeper understanding and respect for the patient's perspective, fostering a therapeutic partnership between healthcare providers and patients. This partnership is vital for designing care that truly addresses the holistic needs of individuals, including their physical, emotional, and social well-being. Ultimately, a human/people-centred approach in the health sector leads to better health outcomes, improved patient experiences, and more efficient use of healthcare resources.
What can taking a people centred approach bring to the health sector?
The health sector is a multifaceted ecosystem characterised by the interplay of medical innovation, diverse patient needs, regulatory frameworks, and the relentless pursuit of balancing cost, access, and quality care in a high-stakes environment. At the centre of that ecosystem are the people who can enhance patient care and achieve better outcomes every day.
A people-centred prioritises the individual needs, preferences, and values of people—whether they are patients, employees, or other stakeholders—in the design, delivery, and evaluation of services and policies, with the goal of enhancing well-being, engagement, and outcomes.
Grant Hunkin | EY Associate Partner, Technology Consulting
Tell us a little about yourself?
I have a Bachelor of Commerce at Auckland University. I started my journey in data and analytics about 25 years ago, working in the data and analytics team at CapGemini, where I gained a deep understanding of data architecture, data engineering, analytics solutions, data visualisation, and data science. I then set up my own data and analytics practice, before selling it to EY and joining the EY team. I joined EY just over 10 years ago to help build data and analytics capabilities and go-to market solutions that deliver long-term sustainable value to our clients.
Why is data & analytics important?
We have been told for so long now that data is the new gold, but it is only recently with the advent of GenAI that the penny has dropped about how data has become a critical and very valuable raw material. We are now just getting started with a new and an exciting era for AI and data. The convergence of cloud computing and the digitalisation of data is enabling new, innovative digital products and services that will transform both business and society by lifting productivity, creating new industries and jobs.
What can data & analytics bring to the health sector?
Data and AI have the potential to significantly impact the health sector, leading to improvements in patient care, operational efficiencies, and medical research that offer the opportunity to improve the health outcomes for everyone.
Some of the most exciting opportunities include using AI and data to develop personalised medicines and vaccines, identify patients at risk of chronic diseases or deterioration to enable early preventative intervention, support Doctors to diagnose diseases by analysing medical images with high accuracy and speed, expedite drug development by simulating and validating the effects of potential drugs leading to faster and more cost-effective development cycles, analysing genetic data to understand disease mechanisms and contribute to the development of gene editing technologies to cure genetic disorders, and the list goes on.
The opportunities to use data and AI for good in the health sector are immense, all be it they are contingent upon the successful integration of these technologies into existing healthcare systems, and addressing challenges such as data privacy, security, and the need for robust regulatory frameworks.
Sam Osborne | EY Director, Technology Consulting
Tell us a little about yourself?
I am British but moved to New Zealand about 18 years ago. I have worked across multiple industries from Sales to Programme Transformation. Before joining EY, I started my own consulting business focused on helping New Zealand businesses with transforming their business functions through the adoption of Intelligent Automation technologies. This company was acquired by EY 2 years ago.
Why is automation important?
Automation is essential for businesses because it streamlines processes, improves productivity, and ensures consistency in operations. By automating repetitive and time-consuming tasks, companies can allocate resources more effectively, respond quickly to market demands, and maintain a competitive edge. Additionally, automation enhances data accuracy and decision-making, leading to better overall performance and customer satisfaction.
What can automation bring to the health sector?
Automation in the health sector can bring numerous benefits, including:
- Improved Efficiency: Automating administrative tasks like appointment scheduling, billing, and record-keeping reduces the workload on healthcare staff, allowing them to focus more on patient care.
- Enhanced Accuracy: Automated systems reduce the risk of human error in tasks such as medication dispensing, patient data entry, and diagnostic procedures, leading to safer and more reliable outcomes.
- Better Patient Care: Automation enables more personalised and timely patient care through tools like automated reminders, telehealth services, and remote monitoring systems, improving patient engagement and adherence to treatment plans.
- Cost Savings: By streamlining operations and reducing the need for manual labour, automation helps healthcare providers cut costs and allocate resources more efficiently.
- Faster Diagnostics and Treatment: Automated diagnostic tools and AI-driven analysis can speed up the identification of medical conditions, allowing for quicker and more effective treatment interventions.
- Data Management and Analysis: Automation facilitates the collection, storage, and analysis of large volumes of health data, supporting research, improving patient outcomes, and driving innovations in medical treatments.
- Regulatory Compliance: Automated systems can help ensure compliance with healthcare regulations by maintaining accurate records, tracking necessary documentation, and generating required reports.