Modern medicine goes viral

LIMERICK doctors are being asked to get behind a new telemedicine service, that will enable GPs throughout the country to provide face-to-face consultations with their own patients using smart phone, iPads and computers for much less than the cost of a visit to the surgery

And a new electronic referral system that has gone live at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) will smooth the way for GPs to get their patient appointments.

According to the HSE, the system will “improve the quality and completeness of referrals” and is expected to minimise the amount of data entry that is needed from the GP. It will allow doctors generate referrals directly from their own practices and receive immediate confirmation that a patient has been added to the list.

Meanwhile, the new GP-Online app will be formally unveiled at the annual general meeting of the National Association of General Practitioners (NAGP) at the end of this month. The service is expected to be rolled out in the second quarter of the year.

The app will allow patients to schedule an appointment with their GP and will allow them deal with a wide range of medical issues without patients having to make the trip to the practice. If a physical examination or tests are needed, patients will be able to upgrade to a GP practice visit.

Project Director Dr Michael McConville said they were hoping Limerick GPs would see the benefits of joining GP-Online.

“The new service will be very convenient for patients short on time, but will be particularly useful for those that are immobile and unwell as it will mean that they will not have to leave their own home. It will also be very useful for those living in more remote areas of Ireland for whom travelling to a GP practice can take a significant amount of time”, he explained.