New electronic patient health record system proposed

A new national electronic patient health record system for Ireland has been proposed today at an International Digital Health conference in Maynooth University.

It follows a pilot project which has involved the university and the Health Service Executive and more than 15,000 patients.

The system allows 24-hour access by doctors and patients to their health information using a secure, free, open-source non-commercial platform.

The project has been led by Professor Martin Curley, Innovation Value Institute at Maynooth University.

Prof Curley told the two-day International Digital Health Summer School in Maynooth University today that the platform is ready for scaling as a national system.

He said that because it is free and well-established software, it could be rolled out for the whole service for a fraction of the cost of a commercial solution.

It has been piloted by the HSE and is currently operational for around 15,000 patients, including Ukrainian refugees, International Protection Applicants, the homeless, the Roman Community and others.

The five-year pilot has involved 50 HSE clinicians and social care workers in the Dublin South, Kildare and West Wicklow regions.

Ireland has a Digital Health Strategy, but currently no centralised electronic health record system is in place.

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which is attending the meeting, says that Ireland has the lowest digital and health maturity of OECD countries.

Ireland has published a digital health strategy for 2024 to 2030, but as yet no centralised electronic health record system.

The strategy promises that everyone will have access to their own digital health records.

It envisages that doctors will be able to access them in real time, from any location, reducing duplication of tests and making the system more efficient and safer.