Case study: From fragmented systems to fertility tech success — Repromed’s digital transformation journey

Repromed, one of New Zealand's leading fertility clinics, helps clients fulfil their dreams of parenthood. Embracing their promise of “fertility excellence with heart,” the clinic is dedicated to offering personalised, empathetic care, tailored to each client's unique needs. 

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To continue delivering on this promise, Repromed knew it needed to overhaul its ageing digital infrastructure and implement a new patient management system (PMS) that could meet the complexities of modern IVF care.

In early 2023, they engaged CIO Studio to lead a complete digital transformation — one that would not only support compliance and clinical care but bring together multiple organisations, systems, and teams under one strategic vision.

The Challenge

Repromed’s ambition to modernise wasn’t just about upgrading a single system — it was about rethinking how their entire organisation worked. Their existing patient management system (PMS) had been in place for years. While functional at the time of adoption, it could no longer keep pace with the operational complexity of modern IVF treatment or the data demands required by regulatory bodies.

“We couldn’t deliver on the data that we’re required to provide to authorities,” said Dr Debbie Blake, Repromed’s Scientific Director. “We knew it was time — but we also knew we didn’t have the in-house capability to navigate this alone.”

The legacy system posed several critical issues:

• Inflexible data structures: The old PMS lacked the flexibility to reflect evolving care models, such as support for separated or same-sex couples, or accurate menstrual cycle tracking — all crucial elements in reproductive medicine.

• Manual onboarding processes: New client registrations were managed via email chains between marketing and admin teams, while nurses were required to email patients PDFs containing contracts and consent forms — a time-consuming and error-prone process.

• Heavy call volumes and low visibility: The clinic managed high call volumes without sufficient visibility across departments. Teams relied on physical whiteboards and paper calendars to coordinate care — increasing the risk of delays and miscommunication.

• Lab inventory tracked by spreadsheet: Lab materials were tracked manually in spreadsheets, creating potential for inventory errors and loss of critical oversight.

• Data security and documentation risks: Counsellors kept notes in physical notebooks, which posed privacy and disaster recovery concerns. Consent forms were scanned and stored manually, further compounding admin time and security risk.

• Lack of scalability across sites: As three organisations operating under the Repromed umbrella, each with their own system, there was no shared platform for coordination, reporting, or care continuity.

  
  

“IVF involves incredibly sensitive and detailed consent processes,” explains Angela Whittle, Core Advisor at CIO Studio. “You’re dealing with clients’ genetic material, legal instructions for various scenarios, and strict documentation requirements. Managing all that manually isn’t just inefficient — it increases the risk of errors and slows down care.”

On top of the operational inefficiencies, the technology environment had become fragmented and fragile. Staff had devised workarounds and patchwork systems to bridge the gaps, but these fixes came at the cost of time, clarity, and team morale.

“Everyone was doing their best — but there were a lot of moving parts, and things just didn’t sync. People were working after hours to make it happen. That wasn’t sustainable,” Dr Blake recalled.

With the organisation preparing for future growth and the demands of clinical precision rising, Repromed recognised that piecemeal solutions would no longer suffice. They needed a partner who could help them see the bigger picture, cut through the technical noise, and deliver a roadmap they could trust.

Our Solution

CIO Studio began with a comprehensive discovery and risk assessment phase. This informed a tailored digital roadmap, complete with timeframes that gave the executive team clarity and confidence.

“Ray came in, and he just got it. He gave us a clear, visual roadmap — and suddenly, it all felt possible,” says Dr Blake. “That poster went straight on the wall.”

The immediate priority was replacing the outdated PMS. But rather than recommending a local off-the-shelf system, CIO Studio led a global assessment of IVF-specific software vendors. After extensive due diligence — factoring in compliance with New Zealand's HL7 data standards — they shortlisted and negotiated with multiple providers.

Only one vendor met the clinical and regulatory criteria: MedITEX, a German-based solution. CIO Studio guided the selection, handled negotiations, and helped facilitate implementation.

“We shortlisted appropriate systems and helped Repromed navigate due diligence, RFPs, and vendor selection. MedITEX was the clear winner,” Angela says.

CIO Studio didn’t stop there. While the PMS implementation progressed, they drove a series of quick wins to ease the burden on staff:

• A 50-inch electronic calendar replaced the nurses’ station whiteboard

• Digital signing streamlined the complex IVF consenting process

• Counsellors received encrypted electronic notebooks to ensure privacy and data resilience

  
  

Behind the scenes, CIO Studio also identified and brought in new vendors for cloud infrastructure, SMS communication, and system integration — each one vetted and introduced by the team.

Throughout, change management was treated as central to the process. CIO Studio encouraged Repromed to assign internal champions across departments — from admin to lab staff — to trial the system and represent their team’s needs.

The Outcome

In March 2024, Repromed successfully went live with its new PMS — a milestone that brought three previously siloed companies onto one integrated platform.

“It’s helped us come together from three separate platforms to one. There’s less ambiguity, more synchronisation, and people are finally on the same page,” says Dr Devashana Gupta, Medical Director of Repromed.

Operationally, the clinic has seen major improvements:

• Administrative overhead has been reduced

• Consent and communication processes are streamlined

• Infrastructure is now cloud-based and scalable

• Teams have access to a richer feature set — with ongoing updates and new capabilities regularly added

  
  

Importantly, the transformation isn’t just technical — it’s cultural.

“We know not everyone likes change. But I think everyone was receptive, and I hope so. You always want to do better — for your team and your clients,” says Dr Gupta.

CIO Studio continues to support Repromed through its fractional CIO model, helping the clinic prepare for future phases — including centralised finance functions and new premises infrastructure planning.

What began as a technical refresh has evolved into a fully strategic partnership. Repromed is now well-positioned to deliver digitally enabled fertility care at scale — with systems and structures that support their values, their growth, and their people.

Get in touch with the CIO Studio team to discuss how a systematic and tech-informed approach to digital transformation can help your organisation deliver the very best in patient care.