Madam, - I recently took someone to the Accident and Emergency unit of a Dublin hospital and was shocked at the inefficiency and lack of automation in the system.
I had to repeat the personal details of the patient (who was unable to speak) five separate times - for the paramedic in the ambulance, at reception on arrival at the hospital, to the accident and emergency nurse, yet again for the doctor and also to the pharmacist at the hospital.
The repetition must have cost 15 minutes of expensive and qualified staff time to collect, never mind process - and this was for just one patient. The individual members of staff were brilliant but the process was lacking.
I recognise the complexity of the problem but could the medical administrators please join us in this age of information- sharing? - Yours, etc,
Ms L. MARTIN, Oakley Park, Blackrock, Co Dublin.