'Very little has moved' on planned digital healthcare system

Under the planned digital healthcare system, staff in a hospital emergency department could access a patient's GP records, pharmacy data, and information on previous hospital visits.

Digital healthcare will be a “game-changer” for patients but concerns about the slow pace of progress have emerged.

The Oireachtas health committee heard that a projected cost for the system cannot be shared yet. Health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and Department of Health officials said this is due to ongoing negotiations with IT vendors.