NowDoc digital records
Senator Boyle asks whether patient records can be digitised and shared with NowDoc out-of-hours services so doctors can access relevant histories.
I have a question for the Department of Health. It is about the NowDoc out-of-hours service in Donegal. We appreciate it and it works well but I had a phone call over the weekend from a lady who went to the NowDoc service. She told me no patient records are shared with the NowDoc service in any part of the country for the out of hours service. It is great if you go and your local doctor is there and he knows you and your records, but 90% of the time when you go, there is a doctor you do not know. They have no digital records. Are there plans to digitalise these records so they can be shared with NowDoc? That lady was 80 years of age and hard of hearing. She did not know what medication she was on. She found it very frustrating. It might not take much to sort out. Will the Department answer if it will be digitalised soon?