New Zealand Health Minister Jonathan Coleman has singled out the National Telehealth Service and patient portals as examples of progress made in two of the five elements of the much-vaunted NZ Health Strategy, despite the roll-out of portals lagging far behind targets.

Addressing the NZ Health Symposium in Wellington this week, Dr Coleman also said the move towards a single electronic health record will empower patients to take a more active role in their care.