New Zealand"s Waikato District Health is understood to be in contract negotiations with iSoft for a new patient management system.

The health board plans to spend NZ$6.5 million (US$4.6 million) on the new system, which will be implemented over the next three years.

A tender document was issued to just two parties: iSoft and IBA.

Last month, CIO Alan Grainer confirmed the board was working on a client administration project to replace its aging Hospro system.

?We?ve budgeted in the district annual plan to spend $6.5 million over the next three years,? he said at the time. ?That covers all aspects of the project, including hardware, software, implementation services and an implementation planning study.?

Grainer didn?t respond to calls about the decision to select iSoft, though it appears to be widely known in the health industry.