'Urgent action' needed to provide patients access to digital health records 

Digital health records would cut out the need for repeated tests, and avoid delays in care.

The health service needs to take “urgent action” to provide Irish patients access to digital health records, health watchdog Hiqa has said.

Under European Union laws all citizens in the EU should be able to view and share health records digitally by 2030. This would allow for easy access to files across public and private hospitals, GP services, pharmacies, nursing homes, or any health service used by patients.

The introduction of digital records would mean that when a patient visits a new hospital or GP, they could easily share their history of past illnesses, operations, test results, and vaccinations.

Hiqa has called for a national body to be set up to ensure this can happen for Irish patients.

Hiqa's director of health information and standards, Rachel Flynn said: “The Irish public have told us that they want access to their health information. In Ireland, there is no system to provide citizens with access to their electronic records.” 

Current policies and strategies are “under-developed”, she said.

“Health and social care professionals cannot easily access patients’ health information where and when they need it, which can lead to repeated tests and delays in care,” she said.

Recommendations

In a new report, Hiqa said they have submitted recommendations to the Department of Health.

These include the setting up of a health information portal, which patients could access through an app or website.

They also recommended having information standards so data can be easily compared across different organisations.

The report says other European countries have signed up the ‘Path to the Digital Decade’ programme, with a deadline of 2030 for 100% access to records.

“Compared to other countries, Ireland has no coordinated approach to developing standards for health information,” the report found.

More than 1,300 people were consulted about their interest in electronic health records over the last two years.

This consultation found 97% believe it is important for healthcare professionals to have access to patient records online. Some 86% would like to have access to their own digital records via a national patient portal.

The under-construction Children’s Hospital in Dublin will rely on electronic health records. Some maternity hospitals including Cork University Maternity Hospital already use digital records.