MRHM maternity services digitalisation ‘major priority’

Planning for the computerisation of the maternity services at Midland Regional Hospital Mullingar (MRHM) “is about to kick off” soon, a recent meeting of the joint Oireachtas Committee on Health was told.

The plans for the computerisation is part of the National Maternity Strategy 2016-2026. The digitalisation of maternity services at MRHM is advancing as part of a national push for electronic health records in all Irish maternity hospitals. The initiative focuses on improving care efficiency, safety, and patient experience through digital systems.

An Leas-Cathaoirleach of the joint Oireachtas Committee on Health, Colm Burke, said that the digitalisation and computerisation of the maternity services was progressing slowly: “If we go back seven years, we started off with four hospitals that were fully computerised. Seven years later, it is my understanding that we are only at six hospitals.”

An Leas-Cathaoirleach asked sector representatives about the issue: “Once a system is developed, it should surely be easy to implement in the remaining hospitals. As I understand it, there are 13 maternity units where there is no computerisation. What is the programme for dealing with this?”

Tracey Conroy, a Department of Health assistant secretary, explained: “We have spent €20 million specifically on this. The system is now live in Cork, Kerry, Limerick, the Rotunda, the NMH and the Coombe. I may ask my colleagues in NWIHP to comment further in relation to where we are at in terms of the roll-out. It is a major priority.”

In his reply, Professor Richard Greene, the director of the national perinatal epidemiology centre and chief clinical information officer, said: “Where we are at the moment is that we are covering about 70% of the deliveries in the state and over 80% of the babies’ neonatal beds are covered by the system. In fact, the plan is to expand to a further four units starting this year.

“That includes finishing out Dublin and the north east with Cavan and Drogheda and taking in Mullingar and Portlaoise. That planning is about to kick off any time soon,” Prof Greene said.