Health

1,500 patients use HSE app ahead of wider roll-out

Patient app will give people a simple and secure way to access their health information and a range of HSE services

Changes to how patient information is managed and shared is critical to the roll-out of Sláintecare, the government’s 10-year plan to overhaul the health service and integrate health and social care across State services
Changes to how patient information is managed and shared is critical to the roll-out of Sláintecare, the government’s 10-year plan to overhaul the health service and integrate health and social care across State services
Shauna Bowers
Mon Jan 06 2025 - 06:00

Up to 1,500 patients trialled the Health Service Executive (HSE)’s patient app before Christmas, with a wider roll-out planned for this quarter.

Last year the HSE announced it was introducing a patient app which would give people a simple and secure way to access their health information and a range of HSE services. It will cover public hospitals and community services, but will not yet cover voluntary hospitals. However it is envisaged the app will develop and evolve over time.

The first version of the app includes public hospital appointments for maternity services, medical cards and European health insurance cards, Covid and flu vaccination records, signposting to services and self-care supports, and will also enable patients to carry a list of their current medications.

A spokeswoman for the HSE said the development of the first release of the HSE app is now complete as planned.

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“We moved to a limited initial release before Christmas with a cohort of between 1,000 and 1,500 people. It is planned to move to a wider public release in Q1 2025,” she said. “It aims to put patients and the people who use our services at the centre of their own care journey and enhance their experience of the health service.”

Ireland has traditionally been viewed as a laggard in terms of the digitisation of the health service, but the government earlier this year launched the Digital Health Framework, which sets out a plan to use digital technology to improve health services in Ireland and make them more accessible to patients.

Changes to how patient information is managed and shared is critical to the roll-out of Sláintecare, the government’s 10-year plan to overhaul the health service and integrate health and social care across State services.

Shauna Bowers

Shauna Bowers

Shauna Bowers is Health Correspondent of The Irish Times