The secure clinical email service is now used by more hospitals and healthcare agencies than ever before but challenges remain in improving system integration, it is understood.
Monaghan GP Dr Illona Duffy has said that the service remains problematic. On Twitter, she noted that Healthmail does not integrate with software systems at her practice, while Healthlink does integrate but there are issues with attachments to emails.
Dr Duffy claimed that the psychiatric services are refusing to get involved with Healthmail and Healthlink.
She added: “GPs have the burden of expense, with no support from the HSE.”
Ms Karina Hull, who works with Healthmail, said that the registration portal is aware that the integration of Healthmail is an issue and stated a plan is being worked on with the Clanwilliam Group.
She added that St Patrick’s Mental Health Services is securely connected to Healthmail and that steps to connect St John of God Hospital, Dublin, are underway.
It is also understood that Healthlink will shortly roll-out the ability to attach multiple files in various formats.
Use of Healthmail by healthcare professionals and administrators has continued to rise since its launch in 2014, with just under 6,000 messages sent and received that year. In 2017, 131,000 messages were sent and received.
The use of Healthmail by pharmacists is also rising, with almost 200 pharmacists creating accounts in the first three months of 2018.
Meanwhile, Healthlink recently surpassed the 100 million message mark. In total, 104,530,609 patient-related reports have been exchanged between clinical communities since the service began.
Healthmail is a service of the HSE’s Primary Care Directorate, managed by eHealth Ireland and supported by the Department of Health, ICGP.
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