The first HSE app for patients will launch in March. 

To begin with, patients will be able to view any medications they have been prescribed and allow them to book an appointment with their GP. 

Other functions will be added later on. 

On Lunchtime Live, pharmacist Sheena Mitchell described it as “excellent news” for patients. 

“I’m really happy to hear this because we need to be moving towards a more accessible healthcare system,” she said. 

“Digital opportunities represent a really good opportunity for that. 

“If you think of any stage where you’re accessing the healthcare system; whether you’re being discharged from a hospital, going to your GP or trying to access a pharmacy, access can be a huge problem.” 

Vaccinations in a pharmacy. Picture by: Lionel Urman/ABACAPRESS.COM

Like with so many other industries, the pandemic forced the healthcare industries to radically reconsider how they approached their work. 

“The pandemic allowed prescriptions to be sent by email and that was new then,” Ms Mitchell said. 

“I’m glad that’s still in place but it was a half-measure; it still relies on the prescribing doctor emailing it to a specific pharmacy and once it’s there, it has to remain there - it can’t be circulated around a number of pharmacies. 

“The problem with that is it removes patient choice. 

“If we have a system where your prescription sits up in a cloud and you come into us with your unique identifier to allow us to draw it down, it means you can do that… The whole thing would be a lot better in terms of accessing healthcare.”

A man working in a pharmacy. Picture by: Alamy.com.

Ms Mitchell said she is “really glad” the app is launching this year and expects it will significantly improve patients’ experience of the health service. 

“I do think we are way behind the curve and this will allow much better integration of the health system,” she said.

“It’s ridiculous that prescribers or pharmacists can’t talk to each other and share results.”

The Government has allocated €190 million in capital spending for digital infrastructure.

You can listen back here:

Main image: A woman looking at her phone. Picture by: Alamy.com