AUCKLAND, New Zealand, Feb. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A signing ceremony with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Franco-Vietnamese (FV) Hospital Group in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam yesterday marked the first milestone in preparation for the launch of ambitious Kiwi health tech innovation firm McCrae Hospitals, as well as Orion Health's ongoing commitment to the region.
From left to right: Orion Health CEO Brad Porter, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon (back left), McCrae Hospitals CEO Niru Rajakumar, FV Hospital CEO Dr Jean-Marcel Guillon, and Vietnam Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (back right)
McCrae Hospitals is a fully Kiwi owned spinoff from Orion Health, the global New Zealand health technology firm recently acquired by Healwell AI. Both companies were founded by Ian McCrae and have agreed to work closely into the future across South-East Asia, ensuring the very best in New Zealand made health technology is on offer for Vietnamese patients and clinicians.
McCrae Hospitals CEO Niru Rajakumar says "the partnership agreement between FV Hospital and McCrae Hospitals, which becomes the new owner of the Hospital Information Systems (HIS) technology developed in New Zealand by Orion Health, is the launchpad for the next generation of hospital systems in South-East Asia."
The agreement builds on strong foundations in the region previously championed by Orion Health. The two leading Kiwi firms will continue to work closely, with an announcement in January that existing customer Franco-Vietnamese (FV) Hospital will expand on its HIS with a new Orion Health Patient Portal (Virtuoso) designed to enhance care for over 770,000 patients and support more than 1,000 clinicians.
Set to go live this year, the patient portal will seamlessly integrate with FV's systems, building on the HIS by enabling patients to manage their own health digitally and empowering patients to take control of their health.
Dr Jean-Marcel Guillon, CEO from FV Hospital shared: "The Virtuoso Patient Portal will greatly improve patient care by streamlining check-in processes, reducing admission times, and allowing patients to focus on their health rather than administrative tasks. This collaboration is a milestone in our decade-long partnership. Together, we empower patients and clinicians, driving impactful healthcare changes across Viet Nam and Southeast Asia."
Prime Minister Luxon said "I am hugely proud that New Zealand's HealthTech sector has evolved into a robust industry, now valued at NZ$2.1 billion according to the recent TIN200 report. This significant Kiwi technology project brings together the leading health care organisations from both countries and reinforces New Zealand's commitment to strong, productive relationships in Viet Nam and South-East Asia and is aligned with our collaborative approaches to improving accessibility to equitable healthcare."
"Improving both the patient and clinician experience, McCrae Hospital's technology has built a strong reputation across South-East Asia, Australia and New Zealand for its ability to provide paperless patient journeys and streamline administrative operations from pre-admission through to post-discharge for patients." says Rajakumar.
Rajakumar and the McCrae Hospitals customers will be supported by Asia Sales Director Timothy Kim, based in Viet Nam and previously of Orion Health, a cross-functional team in New Zealand, and a team of 35 based in Thailand form the heart of McCrae Hospitals research and development centre.
"We are proud of the strong reputation McCrae Hospitals technology inherits from its legacy with Orion Health. With customers in Viet Nam, Thailand and the Philippines, I'm excited to be leading McCrae Hospitals with an ambition to build on our reputation with hospitals throughout South-East Asia, Australia and New Zealand."
Rajakumar says the opportunity to improve both the patient and clinician experience, saving their time and providing operator budget savings is something many hospitals are in search of.
About Orion Health
Orion Health is a global healthcare technology company focused on reimagining healthcare for all. We are leading the change in digital health with health and care organizations to improve the well-being of every individual with our world-leading Unified Healthcare Platform. Made up of a Virtuoso digital front door, Amadeus digital care record, and Orchestral health intelligence platform – each underpinned by extensive health and social data sets, machine learning, and 30 years of innovation focused purely on improving global well-being.