A/HRC/45/14/Add.2 surveys and reports, and their use of digital technologies remains largely invisible. Despite the spread of the Internet, age-related gaps in digital engagement still exist. 75. The digital transformative change also concerns the health and care sector, which puts innovative information technology tools at the centre of the response to key challenges facing the ageing population. 76. In its 2016 Health Strategy, the Government promotes delivery of care “closer to home” through a “smart system”, which aims to leverage new and emerging technologies. The Ministry of Health is also currently preparing a Digital Health Strategy and has articulated a vision of technology-enabled health care.61 Artificial intelligence is projected to contribute over NZ$ 700 million of value and savings to the health system by 2026. Artificial intelligence will also help save 20 per cent of nurse time and allow doctors to see more patients, thereby increasing the effective workforce size. 77. Artificial intelligence and assistive technologies may allow older persons to live independently at home for longer, as they will be able to interact with technology that will, inter alia, remind them to take medication, sense when they have fallen, and communicate their progress with care teams. 78. Several private health-care providers in New Zealand are embracing emerging technologies and preparing for the use of artificial intelligence by initiating cloud storage, automating processes with software robots, and using artificial intelligence to enhance clinical safety.62 There are applications, for instance, which provide caregivers and nurses with a very detailed list of tasks for each resident each day, ranging from a haircut to spending one-on-one time with the resident or tending to multiple wounds. Wearable devices can monitor baseline conversations between staff and aged care residents to target loneliness by prompting social contacts when word count levels throughout the day drop too low.63 Other applications help older persons to take medicines, track their vital signs and allow them to communicate with other residents of residential homes. Some retirement village houses also have sensors that identify non-movement, which can help detect falls. Some dementia units have also started using therapeutic interactive robots. 79. The road map associated with the Digital Health Strategy highlights the need to develop analytical capability and the quality of data at the national level, as well as keeping up with the development of health technologies such as robotics. 80. This digital transformation requires data sets that are connected, data that is interoperable and thus standardized. A number of Home Care International Resident Assessment Instrument tools are in use, such as the mandatory assessment tool for all aged residential care providers. The tools are standardized assessments that are designed to enable a comprehensive clinical assessment system for a specific population, such as older persons. The rationale is to use common measures that enable clinicians and providers in different care settings to improve continuity of care, and to integrate the care and support needed for each individual. 64 81. The Home Care International Resident Assessment Instrument database is large and rapidly growing and the vast majority of persons assessed consented to the use of their information in planning and research. Community care assessments are standardized and have national implementation and coverage. Older Māori and Pasifika are less likely to engage with primary health care, and many more are entirely invisible to the system until they suffer an acute episode that requires hospital care. It also needs to be taken into account that data can be viewed as highly sensitive and valued by Māori, Pasifika and other communities, and that views may differ with regard to data governance.65 61 62 63 64 65 14 See https://aiforum.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/AI-For-Health-in-New-Zealand.pdf. Ibid. See https://healthcentral.nz/technology-leading-the-way-in-improving-aged-care/. New Zealand Aged Care Association, “Caring for our older Kiwis: the right place, at the right time”, p. 17 ff. See https://aiforum.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/AI-For-Health-in-New-Zealand.pdf, p. 56; and www.digital.govt.nz/assets/Documents/113Digital-Inclusion-BlueprintTe-Mahere-mo-teWhakaurunga-Matihiko.pdf.